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star this property registered interest false more like this
unstar this property date less than 2019-06-07more like thismore than 2019-06-07
star this property answering body
Attorney General more like this
star this property answering dept id 88 more like this
star this property answering dept short name Attorney General more like this
star this property answering dept sort name Attorney General more like this
star this property hansard heading Rape: Prosecutions more like this
star this property house id 1 more like this
star this property legislature
25259
star this property pref label House of Commons more like this
star this property question text To ask the Attorney General, what the average number of days taken from a report of rape to a decision to charge was in each year since 2010. more like this
star this property tabling member constituency Ashfield remove filter
star this property tabling member printed
Gloria De Piero more like this
star this property uin 261501 remove filter
star this property answer
answer
star this property is ministerial correction false more like this
star this property date of answer less than 2019-06-13more like thismore than 2019-06-13
star this property answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a record of the average number of days taken from a report of rape to the police through to a decision to charge. Data is, however, held on the average number of days from submission of a rape case by the police to the CPS through to the date of the decision to charge. The CPS works closely with police colleagues to ensure that where individuals are charged, cases have been thoroughly investigated and individuals are properly charged and prosecuted so that the interests of both victims and perpetrators are protected and cases do not collapse mid-trial. The figures provided in the table below include the end to end timeliness from submission to the date of the decision to charge. This comprises of the time when the case was with both police and the CPS. <table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong> </strong> <strong>Average Number of Calendar Days </strong> <strong>Receipt to Decision to Charge</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Average Consultations per Suspect</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2010-2011</strong></p></td><td><p>32</p></td><td><p>1.71</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2011-2012</strong></p></td><td><p>33</p></td><td><p>1.74</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2012-2013</strong></p></td><td><p>34</p></td><td><p>1.69</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2013-2014</strong></p></td><td><p>40</p></td><td><p>1.66</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2014-2015</strong></p></td><td><p>55</p></td><td><p>1.65</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2015-2016</strong></p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p>1.66</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2016-2017</strong></p></td><td><p>67</p></td><td><p>1.80</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>2017-2018</strong></p></td><td><p>78</p></td><td><p>1.97</p></td></tr></tbody></table></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>There are a number of reasons for the steady increase in the average number of days and average number of consultations per case since 2010/11. The number of consultations between CPS prosecutors and police investigators is important. Consultations allow for a close examination of the evidence thus ensuring the case is strong. Clearly, the more consultations that take place, the longer the time between receipt of the case and the decision to charge.</p><p> </p><p>Police are now encouraged to seek early investigative advice more often and in particular in rape and serious sexual offences cases. Early investigative advice helps to ensure that cases are thoroughly investigated and the evidence to be brought before the court is strong. As a result, fewer cases are dropped after the defendant has been charged. With the increase in early investigative advice, CPS is more often involved at an earlier stage in proceedings and this will invariably impact on the average number of consultations and overall timeliness.</p><p> </p><p>There has also been an increase in the complexity of rape cases investigated by the police. Investigations often involve large amounts of electronic material (social media, emails, text messages, video and photographs) which needs to be reviewed by prosecutors before a charging decision can be made. This also impacts on the average number of consultations and timeliness of the pre-charge stage of the case.</p><p> </p><p>CPS prosecutors work closely with police colleagues to build strong cases which can be brought before the courts. Increased complexity has been evidenced over time by the rise in the average number of consultations with the police. Since 2010/11, the number has increased from 1.71 to 1.98 consultations per case, a rise of 16%.</p><p> </p><p>Changes have now been made to the Casework Management System to provide for a more sophisticated level of reporting. In future, CPS will be able to report the timeliness for each individual consultation.</p>
star this property answering member constituency South East Cambridgeshire more like this
star this property answering member printed Lucy Frazer more like this
star this property question first answered
remove filter
star this property answering member
4517
star this property label Biography information for Lucy Frazer remove filter
unstar this property tabling member
3915
unstar this property label Biography information for Gloria De Piero more like this