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VISUAL VS. MANUAL BODY SEARCHES Suspects and inmates can be highly creative in using their bodies to conceal contraband. For example, objects may be concealed by inserting them in the rectum. Illegal drugs can be placed in condoms and temporarily stored in the colon. Cylinders such as cigar tubes are used to hide money, intravenous syringes, and knives. Duplicate Handcuff keys can be concealed in most body orifices. These goods are considered valuable inside a prison and can pose a security risk to staff and inmates at such facilities. Further, not all contraband flows into the prison. Inmates affiliated with the Irish Republican Army were known to write assassination lists on cigarette papers and hide these lists beneath their foreskins. In a thorough ''visual body cavity'' search, a Flashlight is used to illuminate body orifices, including Nostril s, Ear s, Mouth , Penis (urethra and foreskin) or Vagina , and Rectum . Generally, the detainee is required to manipulate these body parts so that they can be examined. During ''manual body cavity'' searches, body orifices are probed using fingers or instruments. Because of the risk of injury, most western authorities specify that these searches can only be done by medical professionals. Further, the circumstance in which these inspections may be done is often restricted. For example, they are done on individuals refusing to offer to consent to a visual body cavity search or in situations where there is strong evidence to suspect the presence of contraband. LEGAL STANDING Inmates and human rights activists argue that body cavity searches are done not so much to stop the flow of contraband but rather to harass and humiliate detainees. A visual inspection of the rectum will not reveal objects concealed deeply inside. Likewise, it is possible to circumvent detection during manual body cavity searches. In some instances, suspects swallow packages of drugs protected by condoms and allow them to pass through their Digestive Tract . Only Diagnostic Imaging will reveal the concealed contraband. Because these searches are highly invasive and greatly compromise an individual’s right of privacy, the legality of visual and manual body cavity searches is frequently contested. In the United States , Bell V. Wolfish is the benchmark case on this issue. In its judgement of the case, the U.S. Supreme Court established a standard of reasonable grounds for performing cavity searches. Among these are security concerns at prisons. REFERENCES
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