Rape is a horrific crime which has a significant and profound impact on victims. It is vital to ensure that cases are investigated thoroughly in order to bring them to justice. To achieve this, it is necessary in many cases to seek further information before a prosecutor is able to determine whether or not to charge. This process ensures that cases are as robust as possible once they reach the court.<\/p>
In 2017-18, cases were referred back to the Police for 61% of suspects in cases recorded as rape in the system. Whilst one situation where the CPS may refer a case back to the Police is to request further evidence, it could also be in instances when the Police have sought \u2018early investigative advice\u2019 from the CPS to assist in determining the evidence required for a charge. It is not possible to separate cases where the CPS has requested further evidence and when the Police have sought early investigative advice.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4517", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lucy Frazer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South East Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lucy Frazer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-24T15:26:16.1Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Rape: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of reported rape cases that were passed to the Crown Prosecution Service by the police forces of England and Wales were returned to the police for further evidence to be gathered in 2017-18.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4479", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Thomas-Symonds"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Torfaen"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nick Thomas-Symonds"} ], "uin" : "266227"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132935", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Attorney General"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132935/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The CPS recognises that rape and serious sexual offences have a significant and profound impact on victims. It is vital to ensure that cases are investigated thoroughly in order to bring them to justice. To achieve this, it is necessary in many cases to seek further information before a prosecutor is able to determine whether or not to charge. In such cases, an action plan requesting further evidence will be provided to the police by the CPS.<\/p>
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When the Police are unable to respond to the action plan, the case is administratively finalised. This is an administrative process where cases are closed on the CPS\u2019s Case Management System if, after reminders from the CPS, the Police do not submit further information. Such cases may be reopened if, at a later date, new material is provided to the CPS by the Police enabling them to decide whether to charge.<\/p>
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The Police may also seek \u2018early investigative advice\u2019 from the CPS to assist in determining the evidence required for a charge. In these cases the CPS may also administratively finalise a case if after receiving CPS advice, the Police do not re-submit the case.<\/p>
<\/p>
In 2017/18, 22% of all rape cases referred to the CPS were administratively finalised.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4517", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lucy Frazer"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South East Cambridgeshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lucy Frazer"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-24T16:34:49.637Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Rape: Prosecutions"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of reported rape cases in 2017-18 passed to the CPS by the police forces of England and Wales were returned to the police for further evidence to be gathered, and were not subsequently returned to the CPS with that further evidence.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4479", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Thomas-Symonds"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Torfaen"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Nick Thomas-Symonds"} ], "uin" : "266233"} ], "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"]} }