Source · Select Committees · Home Affairs Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Accepted
CPS plays instrumental role in increasing rape prosecutions and improving victim experiences.
Conclusion
The role of the CPS is instrumental when it comes to increasing the volume of rape prosecutions and bringing more perpetrators to justice if guilty, as well as improving victims’ experiences of the criminal justice system. (Paragraph 136) 80 Investigation and prosecution of rape
Government response summary AI-generated
The government committed to improving victim experience and evidence quality by updating CPS guidance on special measures (Section 25), commencing automatic eligibility for special measures under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, sharing a 'Best Practice Framework' with Crown Courts, and rolling out pre-recorded cross-examination (Section 28) nationally to all Crown Courts.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
In February 2022, the CPS published a Rape Strategy Update which details the progress it has made since the publication of its five-year strategy on Rape and Serious Sexual Offences—RASSO 2025—in July 2020, as well as new activities that we have commenced since that publication. The Update included a data section which highlighted the significant work the CPS still has to do, alongside demonstrating that the decline in cases has halted, and is showing slight recent improvements and signs of system recovery. The CPS and NPCC have committed to providing regular updates on progress against key strategies and action plans and are working to refresh the JNAP, which was published in January 2021. This is being delivered using a theory of change methodology to test both operational agencies on the outcomes they are working towards and the impact they want from the programme of work. The refreshed JNAP was soft launched at a joint CPS-NPCC conference on 15 June and be formally published in the Summer.
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