Rape performance update

Report: 9
Date: 12 March 2009
By:  AC Territorial Policing on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides members with a summary of the MPS performance on rape investigations in London during the period of June 2008 to December 2008.

The report details work undertaken to improve performance in the investigation of rape across London.

Information is provided on how rape affects diverse groups and steps being taken to improve service.

A. Recommendation

That the report be noted.

B. Supporting information

During 2008/2009 the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has continued to demonstrate the service commitment to improving victim care and the investigation of rape, through the work of the TP Violent Crime Directorate (VCD) and Borough based Sapphire Teams and The Havens - Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs).

Following a joint TP/SCD review, Management Board has taken the decision in principle that responsibility for the investigation of rape and serious sexual offences will transfer to SCD. An implementation team is being formed to take this work forward with full consultation of partners. A paper on this issue is due to be presented at SOP in May. The fundamental principle is that we will seek to build upon the achievements of Sapphire over recent years and continue to improve the quality of care and service provided to victims of rape and serious sexual offences.

MPS Rape Data June 2008 – December 2008

1. The data provided is based on all reported rapes recorded between June 2008 and December 2008. It is based on offences investigated by Borough Sapphire Teams and SCD5 Child Abuse Investigation Teams (CAIT). There were 1248 offences classified as rape. This was a 12.5% (139 offences) increase in the number of rape offences recorded during the same period for the previous year. The most notable increases have been in Croydon (+169%, 61 offences), Sutton (+71%, 10 offences) and Hackney (+47%, 24 offences).

2. It should be noted that the increase in recorded rape offences in 2008 is compared to a particularly low level of offences in 2007. The predicted end of year figure is likely to be closer to the reporting year 2006/7 (2304 offences for April 2006 to March 2007). The increase in recorded offences is partly due to a reduction in the use of the Crime Related Incident (CRI) classification of crimes, but there has been an 8% rise in the number of initial classifications (allegations) of rape. This should be considered as a positive indicator of performance, as there is known under reporting in this area.

3. The current sanction detection rate for rape is 32.9% against a target of 36.9%. For the reporting period June 2008 to December 2008 the sanction detection rate was 32.7%. There is a variance of detection rates across London Boroughs, ranging between 115% (Bexley) and 15% (Croydon). The most significant performance for Boroughs with a high volume of offences was at Hackney, 32 sanction detections for rape against 75 offences (43% detection rate).

4. There is an established performance regime on rape. There are monthly Sapphire Team Leaders meetings, where performance is the lead agenda item. This meeting supports the sharing of good practice and the identification of emerging issues. Borough Commanders and Crime Managers are briefed on rape and standards of investigation. Rape performance is established in the Crime Control Strategy Meetings (CCSMs) structure.

5. As a result of the low performance on some Boroughs, a series of rape performance meetings has been established since October 2008. A number of Boroughs with low sanction detection rates have attended meetings, chaired by Commander Mark Simmons or his deputy DCS Julian Worker, to discuss plans to improve performance. The meetings include discussion on local action plans and a dip sample of current investigations. Officers of the central Sapphire Team have supported these meetings. The Sapphire Team visit key Boroughs, and discuss systems and processes for investigation of serious sexual violence with a selection of staff, including response, officers, investigators, SOITs, managers and Crown Prosecutors.

6. It was noted that three of the lower performing Boroughs did not have dedicated Sapphire Teams: Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge. Havering have now established a team, and the other Boroughs will follow in April 2009.

7. Since this performance process has been established the detection rate for the MPS has improved by over 4%. Currently there are some 170 cases awaiting decisions with CPS. These cases are the subject of weekly review.

Rape conviction rate

8. In December 2008 the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published the “Violence against Women Crime Report 2007-2008”. This report attracted media attention, by highlighting that London and City CPS recorded a 45.5% conviction rate against a national average of 57.7%. The conviction rate is not a standard measure of police performance, but it is appreciated that the area of conviction rate and attrition can affect public confidence.

9. The conviction rate in London may reflect on the positive measures taken in London to increase reporting and recording of crime. The aim of Sapphire in the MPS is to improve rape investigation and victim care. There are a number of positive policies such as the reporting of sexual violence, identified in domestic violence risk assessment processes and the recording of “Non Police referrals” from the Havens. Whilst these processes may not have an immediate effect on detection rates and convictions, they can lead to positive outcomes for victims of serious sexual violence. These processes do not apply to all police forces; Home Office and ACPO are currently reviewing procedures to ensure that they apply to all areas.

10. The MPS records the second highest rape detection rate for a Metropolitan Force Area in England and Wales. The Criminal Justice Services in London are working together to ensure that we can build on this performance, supporting victims throughout all stages of the legal process to secure a higher number of convictions.

11. The MPS play a key role in the London Criminal Justice Board Rape Convictions Working Group. The Group is chaired by Dru Sharpling (Head of CPS London). The group has forged good working relationships across a number of areas including MPS and CPS. The MPS Sapphire and Haven staff contribute to CPS Specialist Rape Prosecutors Training; the CPS London Rape Lead attends Sapphire Team Leaders Meetings. All CPS Rape Specialists visit a Haven as part of their training programme. In addition to this work, the Deputy Commissioner and Head of CPS London have signed a joint protocol on standards for the investigation and prosecution of rape. This protocol has also been signed by all Borough Commanders and Branch Crown Prosecutors. The protocol sets out standards for case building between police and CPS.

12. Within the MPS there are a number of steps being taken to improve investigation standards and ultimately support successful prosecutions. The establishment of Public Protection Groups on Boroughs and Centrally at TPHQ, bring a daily focus to managing high risk areas including sexual violence, domestic violence, missing persons and managing dangerous offenders.

13. Investigators are supported by SCD4 Forensic Practitioners. SCD4 staff will apply advanced forensic techniques to the investigation of offences, including those where both parties are known. The priority in these cases would be interpretation and corroboration of evidence, rather than purely identification of a suspect. This evidence can prove vital in prosecutions where a defence of consent is often claimed.

Diversity areas

14. The data provided in this report is based on the information recorded on the MPS Crime Recording Information System (CRIS). The CRIS system was subject to a software upgrade in December 2008. This will ensure more accurate recording of areas such as ethnicity, nationality and disability for inclusion in future reports.

Gender

15. Rape is an offence that disproportionately affects women. There has been no significant change in the percentage of males and females who are victims of rape. Approximately 93% of recorded rapes have female victims.

16. The Haven service is staffed by all female Sexual Offences Examiners Doctors. The non-availability of female doctors was a catalyst in the establishment of the Haven service. The MPS SOIT Officers include both male and female officers.

17. There are male only clinics established at the Havens, and Haven media campaigns and posters have been non-gender specific. The siting of some Haven material has been focussed on females within a younger age range.

Sexual orientation

18. SOIT training and Haven support are structured to support victims according to their individual needs and sexual orientations. Crimes that are perpetrated through a hate element are recorded accordingly and appropriate support provided. In particular ensuring that appropriate LGBT support groups are identified for the victim.

Race

19. There has been no significant change in the reported ethnicity of rape victims between January and December 2008 and the same period in 2007. The percentages shown for 2008 are:

• 54% were White European
• 27% were Black
• 8% were Asian
• 7% were other BME groups
• 4% were unrecorded

20. These broad racial categories differ from the London population as a whole where the breakdown is:

• 71% White
• 12% Black
• 13% Asian
• 4% other (2001 census data)

21. Whilst there are concerns that black people are over-represented in the reported rapes and Asian people are under-represented, this comparison is based on census data for the whole population of London in 2001. There may be some differences in the population at different age ranges. The offence of rape will disproportionately affect young women and the demographics of this group are not available to the reporting officer.

22. The MPS and the Havens have developed services with a view to improving access from BME groups. This has included a review of the skills profile of the Sapphire Specialist Advisory Group, to ensure that more diverse groups are represented. The Havens have established the post of Asian Development Worker at Whitechapel. Haven awareness campaigns have focussed on specific London Boroughs and have enjoyed the support of businesses such as “Nail Bars” and “Hairdressers” with a high proportion of black female clients.

Faith/belief

23. Any offence motivated through Honour Based Violence (HBV) or other hate motivation will be identified as such and appropriate support and partner groups made available. This is particularly necessary where inappropriate stigmatisation of the victim is likely to arise and the level of support commensurately increased.

Age

24. An area of concern identified in the MPS Rape Review of 2005 was the number of young people affected. The number of victims under the age of 18 years is consistently around 30%. In June to December 2008, 29% of victims were under the age of 18 years.

25. As a result of concerns on the number of offences against young people, the Havens have a Young Persons Worker at each site. They provide support to Haven clients between the ages of 13 and 18 years. The Havens have developed books for young people, explaining legal processes and the possible effects of trauma. The MPS and the Havens have developed awareness campaigns, using various media sources. These include a Haven Text Service and targeted use of the internet. Over the past year improving the service for young people has been a priority for the Havens and they have recently secured a Home Office grant to develop a new poster and reading materials designed for young people.

26. Safeguarding adults at risk of crimes/abuse is developing further and where necessary the use of third party intermediaries will be utilised. This will normally be in addition to the appropriate adult assistance in the Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) interviews. Third party reporting development is key to all vulnerable victims accessing and reporting to police services.

Disability

27. MPS CRIS data for rape victims in June to December 2007 shows 5.9% (67) were perceived deaf or disabled. In the same period in 2008 the figure was 7.3% (92 people).

28. The area of learning disability is currently being considered by MPS and the Havens. Staff have received training to understand the impact of the criminal justice system on people with disabilities. This has included personal presentations from victims of serious sexual violence. The Sapphire Specialist Advisory Group has members who provide expert advice in this area of disability. In addition to this work, Haven written information material is being assessed for being compliant with plain English standards.

Domestic rape

29. For the reporting period June to December 2008, domestic rape accounted for 24.7% of all recorded offences. This is a rise on the same period in the previous year, where the rate was 21.4%. Previous MPA reports have been based on recorded relationship data identified on the CRIS system. The new data is based on a “Flagging” process applied by Borough Teams. This flagging “process” has been previously tested to be 99% accurate. Cases of domestic rape are subject to risk assessment and Public Protection Group review. A number of reports of serious sexual violence will be discovered by the domestic violence risk assessment tool, applied to all domestic violence investigations. It is policy that reported domestic rape will be investigated in partnership with Community Safety Units.

Alcohol and drugs

30. The use of alcohol and other drugs are significant factors in the investigation of rape. The capture of early evidence is particularly relevant in this area. All front line staff are trained in the use of Early Evidence Kits (EEK), originally developed in the MPS. The importance of gathering early evidence is stressed in training for PCSOs and Police Officers. Sapphire investigators have been provided with training on the effects of drugs and methods of analysis.

The Havens

31. The Havens SARCs continue to provide the highest level of victim care and forensic examination. Whilst the Havens are developing a number of new initiatives, the primary focus for the Havens is to maintain a consistent service for all clients. Good practice and the maintenance of standards are co-ordinated across all three sites through the Haven Clinical and Training Group. This group also ensures that staff are provided with update training.

32. During 2008 the Havens and the MPS have conducted awareness campaigns, aimed at improving access to the service. This campaign has been supported by the Greater London Authority. The campaign has included the siting of posters on key public transport routes and in community areas. Posters have been designed for display in areas such as GP Surgeries and Libraries. Cards have been distributed to pharmacies and are displayed next to emergency contraception.

33. The Haven text service has been promoted. People texting the word “Havens” to 64118 will have the details of all three Havens sent to their mobile phone free of charge. Targeted use of the internet and search engines has delivered significant results. During the first month of the campaign, in September 2008, Haven website hits rose from an average of 5,000 per month to 15,000. There have now been over 50,000 hits on the site. In December 2008, the MPS funded a two-week radio campaign promoting the Havens. During this period there was a significant number of Haven texts sent. The percentage of “Self Referrals” to the Havens rose to around 20% from an average of 10%.

Sapphire Specialist Advisory Group

34. The Sapphire Team work with the Sapphire Specialist Advisory Group to understand the needs of victims groups and other Non Government Organisations (NGOs). The Group is chaired by Denise Marshall, Director of Eaves Housing, and is comprised of a number of key organisations representing the diverse requirements of specific groups. During the past year the group have been provided with a number of presentations and case studies. This has enabled the group to better understand the investigative process, and they have provided investigators with valuable advice.

Cold case investigations

35. The Sapphire Cold Case Investigation Team continues to lead national performance in the investigation of unsolved “historic” rapes and serious sexual assaults. The MPS Sapphire Cold Case Team has reviewed 964 cases and has secured 65 convictions. The team has also “loaded” 100 cases on to the National DNA Database, which await future identification of a suspect. The team is currently conducting a systematic forensic review of cases from the late 1980s forwards. The team also investigates new “hits” on the National DNA Database (NDNAD) for serious sexual offences reported over five years ago. At a National level the investigation of Cold Cases is focused on DNA evidence. In the MPS the Sapphire Cold Case Team works with the SCD4 Sexual Offences Fingerprint Team, to maximize all forensic opportunities. This mirrors the daily work of the fingerprint team with Borough Sapphire Teams.

C. Race and equality impact

1. The MPS is cognisant of any adverse impact or disproportionality that may occur as a result of the delivery of its services, and fully embraces the need to engage and consult with communities and their informed representatives.

2. The Cross Government Action Plan on Sexual Violence and Abuse of April 2007 and the MPS’ own work recognises the gender inequality experienced through the commission of such crimes e.g. most perpetrators are men and most victims are women.

3. In addition, the MPS Rape review highlights other vulnerabilities whereby women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, and women who have mental health problems and/or learning disabilities, are disproportionately represented in the rape victim category. The MPS recognises that we must gain a better understanding of compound discrimination issues affecting BME women and how we shape our services to meet such needs. The support of partners is essential in this area.

4. The new Sapphire Standard Operating Procedures, published in 2008, were subject to equality impact assessments and consultation with key partners, including the Sapphire Specialist Advisory Group and MPS Disability Advisory Group.

5. Enhanced monitoring has been developed within crime reporting processes to ensure that we can better understand all elements of the diversity strands as dealt with earlier in the report. i.e. Race, Age, Disability, Faith/Belief, Gender and Sexual Orientation.

D. Financial implications

1. The cost of The Havens is paid by the MPS in a 50/50 partnership with the NHS in London. The budget for this proposal is £2.1m in 2009/10.

2. The proposal to transfer the responsibility for the investigation of rape and serious sexual offences to SCD will be managed from within existing TP and SCD budgets for 2009/10 onwards. These budgets total some £20.6m.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Mark Yexley Detective Chief Inspector TP Violent Crime Directorate Sapphire, MPS

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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