Quebec youth centres cut full-body searches by 56 percent
New ministerial directive in 2025 dramatically reduced invasive search practices targeting minors, raising questions about trauma-informed care.
Full-body searches at Quebec youth protection centres dropped 56 percent between April 2025 and March 2026, according to figures from the Ministry of Health and Social Services — a significant shift in how the province handles security at facilities holding young people.
During that 12-month span, 5,127 full searches were conducted, down from the previous year. Superficial searches—during which staff inspect belongings and scan young people with metal detectors—fell even more sharply, down 66 percent to 7,531 cases.
The shift followed a ministerial directive issued in July 2025 designed to regulate search practices more stringently. Director of Youth Protection Lesley Hill emphasized that strip searches—visual inspection of genital areas—remain prohibited outright. Full-body searches, which require minors to undress in private, are not permitted for children under 14.
Hill acknowledged the intrusive nature of even authorized searches, particularly for young people with trauma histories. Many youth in the system have experienced sexual abuse, she noted, and any form of physical control can re-trigger those experiences. Finding alternative approaches matters not just ethically but clinically.
The province stopped short of aiming for zero searches. Hill explained that minors held under both the Youth Protection Act and the Youth Criminal Justice Act share the same facilities, and youth involved in serious criminal activity—gang involvement, weapons trafficking—sometimes require heightened security measures. Still, the dramatic reduction signals a province trying to balance safety with dignity.