Recommendation 18

HM Government · verbatim extract Deferred

The Government is determined to deliver this Rape Review commitment by the end of this Parliament. Significant work has already been undertaken, including a £5 million rollout of technology to police forces in 2021/2 that will allow them to analyse a victim’s mobile phone by appointment with the victim rather than by taking the phone into police possession. Furthermore, the Government has begun the process of collecting regular data on performance against this commitment from police forces; as part of the Annual Data Requirement a specific requirement has been launched for 2022/3 on mobile phones in adult rape investigations. However, there is more to do. In particular, we need to develop and then roll out accredited and validated selective extraction technology that allows the police to extract only the information relevant to a case from a victim’s phone, rather than undertaking bulk extractions which can feel intrusive and disproportionate. In addition, there are wider challenges: for example, it can take the police significantly longer to extract data if a phone is broken and/or data has been deleted (for example, by an abuser). The Home Office is currently doing work to understand these issues, as well as to determine the right policy response in order to meet the commitment. The Police Digital Service is currently using Home Office funding to test a range of selective extraction products in forces. The Home Office is also undertaking intensive engagement with victims’ groups to understand the needs and views of victims and police forces to understand their current deployment of technology.