Vulnerable and Intimidated Witness Interview Rooms (VIWIR)

Report: 12
Date: 10 April 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

Implementation of Part 2 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 seeks to improve means of gathering evidence. In particular the Act introduces the concept of “Achieving best evidence in criminal proceedings: Guidance for Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses including children”.

This report details progress to date to provide interview rooms and seeks approval to the future programme of works.

A. Recommendations

That the Committee

1. approves the provision of one Vulnerable and Intimidated Witness Room per borough at a cost of £1.442 million.
2. notes that the funding proposed in this report has been included in the separate report on the realignment of capital allocation programme (land and buildings).
3. approves provision of grant through the Premises Improvement Fund (PIF) be used to provide editing and playback facilities for each borough.

B. Supporting information

Project Board

1. A Project Board was established, chaired by Commander Roberts (Territorial Policing), with representation from operational and support departments. A scoping study was undertaken to identify the potential number of interviews with vulnerable and intimidated witnesses and the Project Board accepted the model for 30,000 interviews per annum. Estimated costs were based on usage i.e. number of interviews per annum.

Project Brief

2. The Project Board defined the objective as to provide one vulnerable and intimidated witness interview room per borough, preferably at a non-charging location, each to be of approximately 16 square metres to suit the requirement for video and tape/dvd usage. Room to be fitted with video and tape recording equipment to the requirements of the Directorate of Information (DoI) to ensure compatibility with other Criminal Justice Agencies (CPS etc). The initial equipment brief was established on the basis of analogue (tape) technology but project development has led to the use of digital (dvd) technology.

Timetable

3. The programme agreed by the Project Board is for the provision of 32 rooms (one per borough) with a completion target of 16 during 2002/03 and 16 during 2003/04.

Current Progress

4. Conversion and fitting out works have been ordered on 20 rooms to date – 10 were completed at the end of February 2003; 7 are in progress, 3 await commencement. The remaining 12 sites are still under discussion. See Appendix 1.

Space Requirements

5. The original programme (and costings) was based upon one functional room per borough. Child Protection Team (SO5) experience and management of sensitive interviews has led to an adjustment of layout requirements as the project began to roll out with additional space needed for use as an equipment room. A comfort room (waiting area) is also recommended where space permits but is not a project requirement.

Priorities

6. The Project Board set a priority for sites but several of the proposed locations have subsequently been withdrawn or found unsuitable necessitating the identification and negotiation of alternative locations with the boroughs concerned. Work continues to determine locations for the outstanding rooms so that the remainder will be fitted out in the financial year 2003/04. It should be noted that separate approvals will be sought by Serious Crime Group (SCG) South London, SCG Hendon and East and (possibly) Special Operations 7(1) for additional and dedicated Vulnerable and Intimidated Witness Interview Rooms. A training suite is also to be considered. Funding for these projects is not included in this report.

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. The Vulnerable and Intimidated Witness Suites are intended to allow improved provision to record interviews with vulnerable persons, regardless of their gender, age, ethnic origin, faith, sexual orientation or disability. This is emphasised in the preference to locate these facilities wherever possible away from custody sites.

2. Implementation of Part 2 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 seeks to improve means of gathering evidence. In particular the Act introduces the concept of “Achieving best evidence in criminal proceedings: Guidance for Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses including children”.

3. Many of the sites being identified cannot provide full disability access, but it is planned that there will be four sites geographically spread to accommodate access requirements. Where necessary mobile recording equipment will be made available.

D. Financial implications

Project Costs

1. Project costs were originally based upon estimates prepared in relation to the number of interviews per annum. The Project Board considered three scenarios:- 30,000, 50,000 or 100,000 interviews per annum and agreed to go forward on the basis of the lowest scenario (30,000 Interviews) but subject to a review of the costs for completion of the initial sites. On this basis, and following a value engineering exercise designed to reduce costs, each suite is estimated to cost an average of £44,000 (inclusive of PSD /DoI /fees /furniture). This results in an overall project cost of £1.408 million (£0.260 million in 2002/03 with the balance falling in 2003/04). Running costs (e.g. dvds) are not included, although £1.232 million has been provided to Territorial Policing in 2003/04 to meet the initial costs of this initiative e.g. facilitator fees, refreshments etc. Discussion is ongoing regarding an equitable method for distributing available funds between relevant cost centres.

Budget Allocation (PSD/DoI)

2. Funding for the Vulnerable Witness Project amounting to £1.442m was initially included in the medium term financial projection 2003/04 to 2006/07 (reference Finance Committee 11 July 2002 agenda item 11). The funding proposed in this report has now been included in a separate report at this meeing on the realignment of the capital allocation programme (Land & Buildings) 2003/04 - 2007/08. (agenda item11)

3. Subsequently a bid was made by corporate finance (Oct 2002) to the Home Office for additional funding and a grant of £0.500m secured from the Premises Improvement Fund (PIF). This grant is conditional to matched funding from the MPA and this is more than equalled by the overall project cost. The Project Board is now in a position to review the provision for equipment such as editing and playback facility for all boroughs. This is estimated to cost £0.44 million. It is intended this will be financed from the PIF grant and committee approval to this proposal is sought.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: Alan Croney, Director of Property Services, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Schedule of sites and status

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