Australian Human Rights Commission Current issues and good practices in prison management, 16 November 2023 regarding use of the practice; finding that of the 4,077 strip searches conducted in the Australian Capital Territory between 2021-2022, 30% were undertaken on First Nations males and 58% on First Nations women.128 80. Several reviews have evidenced the inefficiency and harms of strip searching to both prisoners and staff alike, and have noted that ‘there are less invasive, intelligence-based approaches that would mitigate the risks involved in routine strip-searching and be more in step with contemporary custodial practice’.129 81. Despite several jurisdictions adopting these less intrusive search methods and technologies, there remains evidence that ‘strip-searching continues to be a default response in circumstances where there is no identified risk’.130 As noted by the Yoorook Justice Report (Victoria), the fact that routine strip searching continues to be performed is unacceptable.131 82. The Commission additionally notes the correlation made by the Cultural Review of the Adult Custodial Corrections System (Victoria) that inappropriate strip searching ‘often occur[s] alongside other integrity concerns such as threats, verbal abuse or physical assault’,132 and ‘may also be symptomatic of a more pervasive culture of disrespect’.133 4.3 Solitary confinement 83. The use of solitary confinement or solitary confinement-like practices in Australian prisons and youth detention remains a significant concern of the Commission. While the term ‘solitary confinement’ is generally not used in Australian legislation; many people are subjected to these conditions, as ‘segregation’, ‘isolation’, ‘lockdown’ or ‘separate confinement’. 84. The Commission notes that ‘[solitary confinement] can increase or exacerbate trauma, contribute to the deterioration of mental health and limit participation in rehabilitative programs, all of which increase the likelihood of prisoners struggling in prison and on their release. These effects are particularly felt by those that are vulnerable or have mental illnesses or cognitive disabilities’.134 85. Multiple studies also confirm that the use of solitary confinement in institutional settings is often harmful to young people. There is ‘unequivocal evidence’ that solitary confinement has a profound impact on health and wellbeing, and that children and young people are particularly susceptible. 135 A vast body of research confirms that young people, until around 25 years, are still developing physically, mentally, neurologically and socially, and as a result, solitary confinement poses a serious risk of long-term harm. 18