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<p>Violent offences, such as rape, are devastating crimes that ruin lives. We expect
every crime report to be taken seriously, every crime to be recorded, every investigation
to be conducted thoroughly and professionally, and every victim to be treated with
dignity. <br><br>Under this Government, the overall no-crime rate for rape has fallen
year-on- year from 12.6% in 2009/10 to 7.3% in 2013/14. It is encouraging that a number
of forces have stated a determination to further bring down no-crime rates for rape.
<br><br>A specific sample of rape cases was collected and assessed by Her Majesty’s
Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) as part of its audit of crime recording quality.
It found that 20 % of no-crime decisions in that sample for rape were incorrect and
in 22 % of those cases there was no evidence that the police informed the complainant
of their decision.<br><br>Whilst we do not hold data in the manner described in the
question, the Government expects to see police and crime commissioners and chief constables
using HMIC’s inspection findings to improve the way their force responds to rape and
supports victims. It is encouraging that some forces have already announced reviews
of earlier no-crime decisions, following the HMIC <br>inspections. Where HMIC has
made recommendations for individual forces, we expect police and crime commissioners
and chief constables to take them seriously and take every step to further improve
recording in their force.</p><p> </p>
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