{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2017-07-20T14%3A45%3A51.773Z&hansardHeading=Hate+Crime%3A+Prosecutions", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2017-07-20T14%3A45%3A51.773Z&hansardHeading=Hate+Crime%3A+Prosecutions", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2017-07-20T14%3A45%3A51.773Z&_metadata=all&hansardHeading=Hate+Crime%3A+Prosecutions", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=0&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2017-07-20T14%3A45%3A51.773Z&hansardHeading=Hate+Crime%3A+Prosecutions", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2017-07-20T14%3A45%3A51.773Z&hansardHeading=Hate+Crime%3A+Prosecutions", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2017-07-20T14%3A45%3A51.773Z&hansardHeading=Hate+Crime%3A+Prosecutions", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1663636", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1663636/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Government is committed to delivering justice for victims of hate crimes committed in our communities and online, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) considers all cases referred by the police.<\/p>

Considering the events unfolding in the Middle East, a package of measures has been put in place to provide ongoing support to the police. This includes updating existing guidance on protests and offering the use of prosecutors in command centres to advise in real time.<\/p>

In the rolling year to March 2023, the CPS has prosecuted 380 religiously aggravated and 9,1234 racially aggravated hate crime offences, with a charge rate of 85% and 87% respectively. These include aggravated malicious communication offences.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4401", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Prentis"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Banbury"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Prentis"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-10-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-10-23T16:32:19.407Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-10-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Crown Prosecution Service is adequately resourced to prosecute hate crime against members of religious minority communities (a) on social media and (b) in community settings.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4815", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Logan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bolton North East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mark Logan"} ], "uin" : "201490"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1470248", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1470248/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) recognises the serious impact hate crimes have on peoples\u2019 lives and will always seek to prosecute where there is sufficient evidence to do so, regardless of the offence, or how it is committed. In 2021/22, the proportion of successful outcomes in religiously aggravated hate crime with an announced and recorded sentence uplift was 79.8%.<\/p>

<\/p>

Each CPS Area has a Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor as a strategic hate crime lead and a network of dedicated Hate Crime Coordinators operates across all 14 CPS Areas, providing their expertise on matters relating to hate crime and acting as a local point of contact for all external partner agencies.<\/p>

<\/p>

In addition, the CPS has created a hate crime External Consultation Group, which is responsible for providing a community perspective on CPS activity, providing an important check and balance in respect of CPS casework quality, and includes representatives from Tell MAMA and the Community Security Trust (CST).<\/p>

<\/p>

The CPS also sits on the cross-government working groups on anti-Muslim Hatred and on Antisemitism.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4481", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alex Chalk"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cheltenham"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Alex Chalk"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-20T08:24:35.7Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Crown Prosecution Service is adequately resourced to prosecute hate crime against members of religious minority communities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4742", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Anderson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wolverhampton South West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stuart Anderson"} ], "uin" : "18052"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1330762", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1330762/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Courts in the United Kingdom have the power to deal with offences which are committed on board any aircraft whilst on the ground or in the air over the United Kingdom, and on \u201cBritish-controlled aircraft\u201d whilst \u201cin flight\u201d outside United Kingdom airspace. In such instances, as with any crime, the CPS will prosecute cases that are referred to it by the police and other law enforcement agencies where the test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors is met.<\/p>

The Code makes it clear that where an offence involves hostility or prejudice based upon race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity, disability, gender or age, it is more likely that a prosecution will be required in the public interest. Where a crime is found by a court to involve hostility based on a disability, this will be an aggravating factor in the sentence and the court must openly state the crime involved this hostility.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4116", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Northampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michael Ellis"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-06-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-06-16T10:35:08.553Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-06-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what steps she is taking to ensure the prosecution of people whose acts towards fellow passengers on domestic flights are perceived to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on disability or perceived disability.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4413", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kirsten Oswald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Renfrewshire"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kirsten Oswald"} ], "uin" : "12181"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1012534", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1012534/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Baroness Vere of Norbiton wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on 13 December 2017. The DPP provided her response on 9 January 2018.<\/p>

<\/p>

In her response, the then DPP confirmed that the flagging definition for hate crime was agreed between the CPS and the NPCC (ACPO as it was then) in 2007 and that it is wider than the definition set out in legislation to ensure all relevant cases are captured.<\/p>

<\/p>

The CPS adopted the recommended definition in the Macpherson report published in 1999 as a result of the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. The Macpherson report also recommended that \u2018this definition should be universally adopted by the Police, local Government and other relevant agencies\u2019.<\/p>

<\/p>

The recommendations of the Macpherson report were welcomed by the Government at the time and the current Government remains in support of this position. The CPS has worked with police to implement the recommended definition across all strands of hate crime. The CPS takes tackling hate crime seriously and recognises the need to increase public confidence to report. The flagging definition is important in achieving this aim.<\/p>

<\/p>

In order for a crime to be charged and prosecuted as a hate crime, the CPS uses the legal definitions contained in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (CDA 1998) and the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (CJA 2003). This means that not every incident that the victim or another person has perceived to be a hate crime will actually be a hate crime in law.<\/p>

<\/p>

In her letter, the then DPP also confirmed that the CPS legal guidance recognises the potential impact of prosecutions on Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to freedom of expression). The CPS must balance the rights of an individual to freedom of speech against the duty of the state to act proportionately and to protect the rights of others.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4538", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Keen of Elie"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-04T13:13:56.54Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 6 December 2017 (HL Deb, col 1051), whether Baroness Vere of Norbiton wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions to ask whether she agrees that the definition of hate crime is broader than what is in statute and on what authority any broadening was based; and if so, what reply she received.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3153", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Pearson of Rannoch"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Pearson of Rannoch"} ], "uin" : "HL11726"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/867300", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/867300/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Tackling hate crime is a priority for the CPS and it has taken a number of steps to improve the effectiveness of prosecutions.<\/p>

<\/p>

The CPS Hate Crime Annual Report shows that the proportion of cases where the CPS was successful in achieving uplifted sentences for hate crime perpetrators increased dramatically last year. The proportion rose from 33.8% in 2015/16, to 52.2% in 2016/17 \u2013 reaching 58.2% in the final quarter.<\/p>

<\/p>

The CPS has delivered mandatory face to face disability hate crime training and racially and religiously aggravated hate crime training, and is in the process of delivering homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crime training. In August 2017, the CPS published revised legal guidance for prosecutors on all strands of hate crime. The revised legal guidance and training support prosecutors to more effectively deal with hate crime cases.<\/p>

<\/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" : "2018-03-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-22T14:33:36.187Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what steps the CPS is taking to increase the effectiveness of prosecutions for hate crimes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3987", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rehman Chishti"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Gillingham and Rainham"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rehman Chishti"} ], "uin" : "904519"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/819375", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/819375/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

I would refer his Lordship to the answer to HL4421 from Lord Pearson, which was tabled on 21 December 2017, a copy of which has been made available in the Library of the House.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4538", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Keen of Elie"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-16T16:55:41.74Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-01-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 6 December 2017 that she would write to the Director of Public Prosecutions (HL Deb, col 1051), whether she has done so; and if so, what was the response.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1807", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Vinson"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Vinson"} ], "uin" : "HL4576"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/810452", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/810452/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The flagging definition for hate crime was agreed between the CPS and the NPCC (ACPO as it was then) in 2007. It is wider than the definition set out in legislation to ensure that all relevant cases are captured.<\/p>

The flagging definition comes from the recommended definition in the Macpherson report published in 1999 as a result of the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. The Macpherson report recommended that \u2018this definition should be universally adopted by the Police, local Government and other relevant agencies\u2019.<\/p>

This recommendation in the Macpherson report was welcomed by the Government at the time and the current Government remains in support of this position. The CPS has worked with police to implement the recommended definition across all strands of hate crime. The CPS takes tackling hate crime seriously and recognises the need to increase public confidence to report. The flagging definition is important in achieving this aim.<\/p>

In order for a crime to be charged and prosecuted as a hate crime, the CPS uses the legal definitions contained in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (CDA 1998) and the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (CJA 2003). This means that not every incident that the victim or another person has perceived to be a hate crime will actually be a hate crime in law.<\/p>

The CPS legal guidance recognises the potential impact of prosecutions on Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to freedom of expression). The CPS must balance the rights of an individual to freedom of speech against the duty of the state to act proportionately and to protect the rights of others.<\/p>

<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4538", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Keen of Elie"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-09T17:09:20.383Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 6 December (HL Deb, col 1050), whether the definition of hate crime adopted by the Crown Prosecution Service to facilitate the reporting of incidents is wider than the legal definition of such crime under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Criminal Justice Act 2003; if so, how; and upon what authority it was issued.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3153", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Pearson of Rannoch"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Pearson of Rannoch"} ], "uin" : "HL4420"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/810453", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/810453/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

Baroness Vere of Norbiton wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on 13 December 2017. The DPP provided her response on 9 January 2018.<\/p>

In her response, the DPP confirmed that the flagging definition for hate crime was agreed between the CPS and the NPCC (ACPO as it was then) in 2007 and that it is wider than the definition set out in legislation to ensure all relevant cases are captured.<\/p>

The CPS adopted the recommended definition in the Macpherson report published in 1999 as a result of the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. The Macpherson report also recommended that \u2018this definition should be universally adopted by the Police, local Government and other relevant agencies\u2019.<\/p>

This recommendation in the Macpherson report was welcomed by the Government at the time and the current Government remains in support of this position. The CPS has worked with police to implement the recommended definition across all strands of hate crime. The CPS takes tackling hate crime seriously and recognises the need to increase public confidence to report. The flagging definition is important in achieving this aim.<\/p>

In order for a crime to be charged and prosecuted as a hate crime, the CPS uses the legal definitions contained in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (CDA 1998) and the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (CJA 2003). This means that not every incident that the victim or another person has perceived to be a hate crime will actually be a hate crime in law.<\/p>

In her letter, the DPP also confirmed that the CPS legal guidance recognises the potential impact of prosecutions on Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to freedom of expression). The CPS must balance the rights of an individual to freedom of speech against the duty of the state to act proportionately and to protect the rights of others.<\/p>

<\/strong><\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4538", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Keen of Elie"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-09T17:10:42.713Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 6 December (HL Deb, col 1051), whether the Baroness Vere of Norbiton has written to the Director of Public Prosecutions as indicated; and if so, what response has been received.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3153", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Pearson of Rannoch"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Pearson of Rannoch"} ], "uin" : "HL4421"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/782453", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/782453/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

In order to charge and prosecute hate crimes, the CPS uses the legal definition provided by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and Criminal Justice Act 2003. The shared police and CPS definition of hate crime is based on the perception of the victim or any other person and allows for case flagging and monitoring as well as appropriate victim support, it does not affect the charge.<\/p>

This flagging definition comes from the recommended definition in the Macpherson report which was published in 1999 as a result of the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. The Macpherson Report found a lack of confidence within communities that hate crime was being treated seriously by the police and Criminal Justice System and recommended that the definition of a racist incident should be, \u2018any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person\u2019. Putting the victim\u2019s perception at the heart of the definition gives a clear signal that, once flagged as a hate crime, an appropriate investigation will follow and evidence to support the law on hostility will be proactively sought. The definition seeks to encourage victims to report and to increase confidence in the Criminal Justice System.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Vere of Norbiton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/782453/answer/previousversion/22806", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4538", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Keen of Elie"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-16T16:44:23.703Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ], "questionFirstMinisteriallyCorrected" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-20T11:19:23.603Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-11-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government under what authority the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has agreed a definition of racially and religiously aggravated crime that is wider than the legal definition under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and Criminal Justice Act 2003, as indicated in the CPS Public statement on prosecuting racist and religious hate crime published in August.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1807", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Vinson"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Vinson"} ], "uin" : "HL2876"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/773042", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/773042/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The CPS legal guidance on prosecuting racist and religious hate crime recognises the potential impact of prosecutions on Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to freedom of expression). The guidance recognises that not only is speech which is well-received and popular protected, but also speech which is offensive, shocking or disturbing. It is essential in a free, democratic and tolerant society that people are able to exchange views, even when offence may be caused. However, when making prosecution decisions the CPS must balance the rights of an individual to freedom of speech and expression against the duty of the state to act proportionately in the interests of public safety, to prevent disorder and crime, and to protect the rights of others.<\/p>

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has agreed a shared definition of hate crime with the police in order to ensure that all relevant cases are captured as early possible. This definition is based upon the perception of the victim or any other person and is wider than the legal definition. However, in order for the CPS to bring a successful hate crime prosecution the CPS must present sufficient evidence to prove that the offence meets the definition of the crime set out in the relevant legislation.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4538", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Keen of Elie"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-11-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-11-01T16:07:00.19Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-10-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hate Crime: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on freedom of speech of the definitions used by the Crown Prosecution Service to identify racist or religious incidents and crimes and to monitor the decisions and outcomes, as detailed in their Racist and Religious Hate Crime Prosecution Guidance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1807", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Vinson"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Vinson"} ], "uin" : "HL2243"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "next" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?_page=1&min-answer.questionFirstAnswered.=2017-07-20T14%3A45%3A51.773Z&hansardHeading=Hate+Crime%3A+Prosecutions", "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 12, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }