Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Deferred
Paragraph: 108
Collect and publish data on specialist rape teams and RASSO-trained officers in all forces.
Recommendation
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.
Government Response 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 to collect and publish data on specialist police rape teams and RASSO-trained officers.
Paragraph Reference:
108
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
We recognise the importance of ensuring that only evidence about the victim pertinent to the case is used at court. That is why the Ministry of Justice asked the Law Commission to conduct a landmark review of the use of evidence in sexual offence cases. This is a legally complex area with many different views to consider. The Law Commission needs time to consult widely and gather the necessary evidence to understand all of the options before making any proposals. We will be working closely with the Law Commission as their findings become clear and will look to see whether any steps can be taken in advance of the final publication to address this issue.