In 2017-18, the number of non-convictions due to complainant retraction was 188, down from 198 the previous year. This accounted for 1.3% of all completed hate crime prosecutions. The Crown Prosecution Service is working closely with criminal justice partners to ensure the support offered to complainants and witnesses in hate crime cases is tailored to meet their individual needs.<\/p>
The majority of hate crime prosecutions (75.4%) result in a guilty plea from defendants, reducing the need for complainants and witnesses to give evidence in court. However, where live evidence is required, the CPS is committed to supporting them to give their best evidence. This includes consideration of whether they would benefit from special measures such as giving evidence behind a screen or via a video link.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Buckland"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-17T11:00:21.343Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what assessment he has made of trends in the number of cases of alleged hate crimes ending before going to court as a result of such complaints being withdrawn.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"} ], "uin" : "199928"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1010729", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1010729/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
All decisions to prosecute made by the Crown Prosecution Service must meet the Full Code Test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. The Code makes it clear that there is a balance to be struck between the public interest in diverting a defendant with significant mental illness such as dementia from the criminal justice system and other public interest factors in favour of prosecution, including the need to safeguard the public.<\/p>
The eighth edition of the Code for Crown Prosecutors was published in October 2018. Prosecutors are asked to \u201chave regard to whether the suspect is, or was at the time of the offence, affected by any significant mental or physical ill health or disability, as in some circumstances this may mean that it is less likely that a prosecution is required. However, prosecutors will also need to consider how serious the offence was, whether the suspect is likely to re-offend and the need to safeguard the public or those providing care to such persons.\u201d<\/p>
The existing CPS legal guidance on prosecuting \u2018Mentally Disordered Offenders\u2019 is currently being revised to include specific guidance on prosecuting cases where the suspect suffers from a condition such as dementia. This will be published for public consultation in 2019.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4106", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Swindon"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Buckland"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-28T09:36:50.033Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Dementia: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what guidance he has published on laying criminal charges against people with dementia.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4006", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hendon"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Dr Matthew Offord"} ], "uin" : "193451"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 2, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }