Source · Select Committees · Petitions Committee
Recommendation 20
20
Deferred
Paragraph: 85
Improvements in the drafting of the criminal law are irrelevant if these offences are not...
Conclusion
Improvements in the drafting of the criminal law are irrelevant if these offences are not enforced. Many witnesses suggested the police did not have the resources they needed to be able to effectively investigate online abuse and hate crime. This undermines the important role played by the criminal law as a response to abusive behaviour online.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the concern about enforcement and police resources, stating it is carefully considering relevant recommendations from the Law Commission and will shortly publish a new strategy for tackling hate crime.
Paragraph Reference:
85
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
We thank the Committee for its recommendation to scale up existing specialist teams and to ensure police officers are able to access the right training to identify offences and support victims of hate crime. We are carefully considering the recommendations set out in the Law Commission’s final report, ‘Hate Crime Laws,’ and will shortly publish a new strategy for tackling hate crime, setting out our commitment to stamping out these abhorrent crimes including their online elements, which cause greater harms to victims and associated neighbourhoods.