Recommendations & Conclusions
15 items
3
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
Whilst returning the volume of rape cases being dealt with to 2016 levels, as the Rape Review aims for, would be a step in the right direction, it should not be considered a success in and of itself, given that even in 2016, criminal justice outcomes for rape were viewed …
Read more
Whilst returning the volume of rape cases being dealt with to 2016 levels, as the Rape Review aims for, would be a step in the right direction, it should not be considered a success in and of itself, given that even in 2016, criminal justice outcomes for rape were viewed as poor. It is concerning that confidence in the system’s ability to even reach 2016 levels by the end of 2024 at the latest is low. Greater progress must be made at speed to ensure that more cases are successfully prosecuted and so more perpetrators brought to justice.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government did not directly address the need for greater and faster progress in rape prosecutions, instead committing to improve the collection and publication of data on victims' protected characteristics and compliance with the Victims' Code through a new Victims Bill.
Read full response →
Home Office
4
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
We are encouraged by the commitment to measuring progress through the performance scorecards and progress updates. However, it is unclear how the Government will hold operationally independent partners to account for their role in increasing the volume of rape prosecutions, even though the Government has said that, if outcomes don’t …
Read more
We are encouraged by the commitment to measuring progress through the performance scorecards and progress updates. However, it is unclear how the Government will hold operationally independent partners to account for their role in increasing the volume of rape prosecutions, even though the Government has said that, if outcomes don’t improve, it may look at reform of the way independent operational partners are held to account for delivery of operational improvements.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government did not address how it will hold operationally independent partners accountable for increasing rape prosecutions, instead detailing its work on strengthening victim support services, including publishing a refreshed National Statement of Expectations and VAWG Commissioning Toolkit.
Read full response →
Home Office
5
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
We recommend that if the progress updates demonstrate that the review is not having its intended impact, the Government react quickly and effectively, putting in place alternative actions. In its next progress update, the Government must set out exactly how operational partners will be held to account if there continues …
Read more
We recommend that if the progress updates demonstrate that the review is not having its intended impact, the Government react quickly and effectively, putting in place alternative actions. In its next progress update, the Government must set out exactly how operational partners will be held to account if there continues to be no significant rise in rape prosecution volumes. We agree with HMICFRS and HMCPSI that the National Criminal Justice Board should review the existing statutory governance arrangements for rape and instigate swift reform. We also recommend that the lead Minister for the Rape Review write to the Committee every six months, so that progress updates can be adequately interrogated.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government recognised potential benefits of a dedicated commissioner for victims of sexual violence and abuse and is considering this, with an update promised in due course, but did not address the committee's specific recommendations on reacting to lack of progress, holding operational partners accountable, …
Read full response →
Home Office
6
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
As the Government’s data note on the performance scorecards makes clear, it is not possible to accurately track individual offences or defendants across the criminal justice system for the purposes of statistical reporting. We welcome the fact that work to link this data better is ongoing and a ‘high priority’. …
Read more
As the Government’s data note on the performance scorecards makes clear, it is not possible to accurately track individual offences or defendants across the criminal justice system for the purposes of statistical reporting. We welcome the fact that work to link this data better is ongoing and a ‘high priority’. However, we believe transparency is Investigation and prosecution of rape 77 critical to this and we recommend that, once the scoping stages are completed, the Home Secretary and Justice Secretary write to us with further detail on this piece of work, including aims, methodology and timescales.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government outlined funding and progress for Operation Soteria, aiming for a national operating model by June 2023, but did not address the committee's specific request for further details on data linking work, its aims, methodology, and timescales.
Read full response →
Home Office
7
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
It is important that the justice system captures data about victims that can give insight into whether their protected characteristics might affect their criminal justice journeys. We recommend that the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice work with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure as an …
Read more
It is important that the justice system captures data about victims that can give insight into whether their protected characteristics might affect their criminal justice journeys. We recommend that the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice work with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure as an initial priority that the ethnicity data of rape victims and survivors is collected and published transparently, for example, through the performance scorecards.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government discussed existing work and funding for initiatives addressing vulnerability, such as the d/Deaf Access to Policing Strategy and the Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice Programme, and committed to updating the Committee on this within 12 months, but did not specifically commit to collecting and …
Read full response →
Home Office
8
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
The provision of specialist support to victims and survivors of rape is vital, given the devastating impact of sexual violence and the difficulties complainants face during the investigation and prosecution process. The Government’s research into what rape victims need from support services is to be welcomed. This should take into …
Read more
The provision of specialist support to victims and survivors of rape is vital, given the devastating impact of sexual violence and the difficulties complainants face during the investigation and prosecution process. The Government’s research into what rape victims need from support services is to be welcomed. This should take into account the different needs of different victims and survivors, for example, those who are deaf and disabled, and Black and minority ethnic victims and survivors, who can be supported more effectively by dedicated by and for services. We look forward to the outcome of the Victims’ Bill consultation and introduction of the legislation in the next parliamentary Session. We urge the Government to ensure that the commissioning principles and funding models set out are truly long-term and sustainable.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government agreed on the importance of specialism in policing rape and sexual offences, highlighting police recruitment, training initiatives, and Operation Soteria to develop a national operating model, but did not address the recommendation on long-term funding and commissioning models for specialist victim support services.
Read full response →
Home Office
10
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
We agree with HMICFRS and HMCPSI that the Government should consider the merits of either establishing a dedicated commissioner for sexual violence and abuse or expanding the existing responsibilities and powers of one of our existing commissioners. The relevant commissioner could then oversee the provision of specialist support services for …
Read more
We agree with HMICFRS and HMCPSI that the Government should consider the merits of either establishing a dedicated commissioner for sexual violence and abuse or expanding the existing responsibilities and powers of one of our existing commissioners. The relevant commissioner could then oversee the provision of specialist support services for victims and survivors of sexual violence and abuse, as well as any mapping exercise. Importantly, they could also act to hold the Government and its operational partners to account in improving the response to rape and serious sexual assault. Any change must be backed by adequate resourcing and any future commissioner must have appropriate powers as well. The Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s powers, as laid out in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, could be a good model, with the Act requiring public sector authorities to cooperate with her and to respond to relevant recommendations she puts forward. (Paragraph 77) 78 Investigation and prosecution of rape The police response to rape
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government outlined its commitment to improving mobile phone data analysis for rape investigations, including a £5 million rollout of technology and work on selective extraction, and completed a consultation on legal support for victims regarding personal information requests. It did not address the recommendation …
Read full response →
Home Office
14
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
We are disappointed that, despite the difference that specialist police rape teams make, the Government has not done more to ensure such teams are in place.
Government response AI summary
The government detailed efforts to improve communication with victims, referencing the CPS and police's Joint National Action Plan, refreshed victim letters, and independent research on victim needs, but did not address the committee's disappointment regarding the lack of specialist police rape teams.
Read full response →
Home Office
15
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
The Government must strongly encourage police forces without specialist police rape teams to put such teams in place. Since the policing of violence against women and girls is to be added to the Strategic Policing Requirement, putting specialist police rape teams in place would be a powerful way to demonstrate …
Read more
The Government must strongly encourage police forces without specialist police rape teams to put such teams in place. Since the policing of violence against women and girls is to be added to the Strategic Policing Requirement, putting specialist police rape teams in place would be a powerful way to demonstrate the priority that should be given to tackling violence against women and girls. The Government should, for example, make clear in the next Rape Review Progress Update that it is the Government’s view that forces should have specialist rape teams set up where possible. The Government should work with the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) to understand better the obstacles forces face in putting these teams in place and to provide support to forces committed to forming specialist teams.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government responded by detailing the Victims’ Right to Review scheme, explaining how it provides an opportunity for victims to have their cases reviewed, and outlined its commitment to publishing VRR data and using internal VRR analysis for learning and staff training, but did not …
Read full response →
Home Office
16
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
It is very concerning that the Home Office does not have the numbers of police officers who are RASSO-trained. The emphasis on the uplift programme in the Rape Investigation and prosecution of rape 79 Review Progress Update is also potentially misleading, when the Government does not know how many of …
Read more
It is very concerning that the Home Office does not have the numbers of police officers who are RASSO-trained. The emphasis on the uplift programme in the Rape Investigation and prosecution of rape 79 Review Progress Update is also potentially misleading, when the Government does not know how many of those officers will actually receive the necessary training in order to work on such complex cases competently.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government outlined the timeline and publication of the CPS' Pre-trial Therapy Fundamental Principles and updated pre-trial therapy guidance, following the Attorney General’s Office review of its Disclosure Guidelines, but did not address the committee's concerns about data on RASSO-trained police officers.
Read full response →
Home Office
17
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
The Government must start collecting and publishing data on the number of police forces with specialist police rape teams in place, and the number of police officers with specialist rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) training in each force (for example, the number trained on the Rape and Specialist Sexual …
Read more
The Government must start collecting and publishing data on the number of police forces with specialist police rape teams in place, and the number of police officers with specialist rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) training in each force (for example, the number trained on the Rape and Specialist Sexual Assault Investigation Development Programme (SSAIDP) and the number of Sexual Offences Liaison Officers (SOLOs)). This should be published in the next Progress Update, and in each subsequent update. Further, the police officer uplift programme should not be referred to in Rape Review Progress Updates unless the Government has data on the number of recruited police officers who will be or are developing a RASSO specialism. We would strongly encourage the Home Office to collect that data, working closely with the College of Policing and the NPCC, currently conducting a skills gap analysis of the number of specialist trained staff, relative to current demand, covering the number of SOLOs and those on the SSAIDP.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government stated that the Ministry of Justice has asked the Law Commission to conduct a review of the use of evidence in sexual offence cases, and that it will work with the Law Commission as their findings emerge, but did not address the recommendation …
Read full response →
Home Office
18
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
We welcome the Government’s ambition to ensure no victim of rape will be without a mobile phone for more than 24 hours by 2024, and the extra funding to support certain police forces to analyse digital evidence effectively. However, this commitment should be comprehensively backed by a costed plan to …
Read more
We welcome the Government’s ambition to ensure no victim of rape will be without a mobile phone for more than 24 hours by 2024, and the extra funding to support certain police forces to analyse digital evidence effectively. However, this commitment should be comprehensively backed by a costed plan to ensure that all police forces have the necessary equipment and skills to implement the policy by 2024.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government mentioned ongoing consultations by the Ministry of Justice and Home Office regarding legal support for victims and police requests for third-party material, but did not commit to a costed plan for police forces to implement the 24-hour mobile phone return policy.
Read full response →
Home Office
21
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
The Government should also consider widening any such pilot so that people would also be able to benefit from legal advice on sexual history applications.
Government response AI summary
The government referred to the CPS Rape Strategy Update and the refresh of the Joint National Action Plan (JNAP), focusing on broader CPS efforts and data, but did not address the recommendation to consider widening a pilot for legal advice on sexual history applications.
Read full response →
Home Office
22
Recommendation
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
If engagement with victims’ groups as promised by the Rape Review Progress Update demonstrate support and the need for independent legal advice, the Government must commit to offering legal advice to all victims of rape, subject to the success of the pilot. (Paragraph 127) The CPS response to rape
Read more
If engagement with victims’ groups as promised by the Rape Review Progress Update demonstrate support and the need for independent legal advice, the Government must commit to offering legal advice to all victims of rape, subject to the success of the pilot. (Paragraph 127) The CPS response to rape
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government committed to the national rollout of section 28 (pre-recorded cross-examination) for sexual and modern slavery complainants, with implementation ongoing across Crown Courts, and is consulting on criminal legal aid fee scheme changes to reflect this work, but did not commit to offering legal …
Read full response →
Home Office
24
Conclusion
Eighth Report - Investigation and prose…
Deferred
We have heard from victims and survivors that the CPS’s level and quality of communication could be more effective and sensitive. We welcome the fact that the CPS has designed new letters to engage better with victims at key moments. However, as part of the CPS’s work designing a new …
Read more
We have heard from victims and survivors that the CPS’s level and quality of communication could be more effective and sensitive. We welcome the fact that the CPS has designed new letters to engage better with victims at key moments. However, as part of the CPS’s work designing a new approach to victim engagement that should be more two-way, we would also recommend that the CPS consider speaking with complainants via a video link as more general practice, to give people the opportunity to ask questions about their individual case. This would be less impersonal. Any concerns prosecutors might have should be taken into account.
Show less
Government response AI summary
The government committed to working with the judiciary to reduce waiting times and prioritize vulnerable cases, and is launching pilots of enhanced specialist sexual violence support in specific Crown Courts to improve in-court support and tackle backlogs, but did not commit to the CPS adopting …
Read full response →
Home Office