Progress on PNC data quality

Report: 11
Date: 11 November 2002
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report is an update on the MPS position on reducing outstanding Impending Prosecutions (IP) over twelve months old and implementing the recommendations of HMIC’s report ‘On the Record’

A. Recommendations

That

1. Members are asked to note the current position on the Impending Prosecution reduction target and actions taken; and
2. Members are also asked to note the progress towards the implementation of the recommendations of HMIC’s report ‘On the Record’ on PNC.

B. Supporting information

Impending Prosecutions

1. The target is ‘No force should have any ‘impending’ case on PNC which is older than 12 months that has not been subject of investigation to confirm that the court results is still legitimately outstanding’.

2. By April 2002 the total was reduced to 8,841 from 120,000. Those that remain are cases that are difficult to resolve.

3. The current position is that there are 7,717 cases that have not been subject of investigation to confirm that the court results are legitimately outstanding (Appendix 1). It is important to note that since April 2002, about a 1000 new cases a month become greater than 12 months old.

4. The MPS PNC Bureau (SO3-3) estimates that of the 7,717 cases at least 1000 are warrants that the PNC has automatically weeded from the system and another 500 are either still ongoing Crown court cases or where SO3-3 are seeking confirmation of the results. Work is ongoing in SO3-3 to take this work forward.

5. In August, DAC House visited five of the poorest performing boroughs to ensure that the respective borough commanders are taking decisive action to resolve their backlogs. In addition, on his instruction, the MPS Inspectorate has visited a further six boroughs to identify the reasons for poor performance.

6. DAC House has set a deadline, applicable to all boroughs, that by Christmas 2002 there should be no impending prosecutions that are over 12 months old that have not been subject to investigation to confirm that the court results is still legitimately outstanding.

7. The boroughs have been instructed to undertake the following actions that:

• the boroughs produce an action plan to detail the steps required to achieve zero outstanding cases within the identified time limit;
• the boroughs impose weekly targets for staff to achieve, in order to successfully reach the corporate requirement;
• the IP results teams are adequately resourced to meet the deadline for a complete reduction;
• a robust audit trail is established to determine the exact status of all outstanding IPS;
• the IP spreadsheet is accessible on a common share platform such as library to enable greater access and improved supervision of the current spreadsheet;
• a manager within the CJU is given responsibility for searching the current spreadsheet and identifying cases that are suitable for NFA;
• practitioners within the CJU are aware of the NFA criteria that apply to IPS;
• CJU managers are required to ensure that pre-determined targets are being achieved; and
• a manager within the CJU will be required to establish an audit trail that will be examined by the Inspection Team to ensure the current status of each IP can be established;

8. The MPS Inspectorate will be re-inspecting the six poor performing boroughs and will be carrying out inspections of a further two in October.

9. Arrangements are being made for practitioners from these specific boroughs to get additional training from SO3-3 on strategies to reduce outstanding IPs. In addition, CJU managers are to be given facilitated insight into how to manage their IPs. Some boroughs will be asked to make fortnightly returns of their IP results.

10. SO3-3 are also going to review all IPs pre-1998 for the poorest performing boroughs. SO3-3 believe that approximately 2000 may be legitimately removed from the IP list.

11. The Inspectorate will also be requiring all boroughs to examine their warrants, especially those that are greater than three years old. If these have been weeded off the PNC the boroughs will need to decide whether to withdraw the warrants or re-circulate them. Both these decisions will reduce the number of IP’s that are not legitimately outstanding.

12. The Deputy Commissioner, as chair of the MPS Performance Review Committee is closely monitoring progress and has asked for regular reports.

HMIC’s Recommendations ‘On the Record’ on PNC Data Quality

13. As has been reported to members, the Security Service Inspection Unit audits data owned by the MPS on the PNC. The latest report on Names- Custody History and Addresses on PNC show a very low error rate (less than 5%). This is good news as far as data quality is concerned.

14. Since April 2002, the MPS has been implementing an action plan to meet HMIC’s requirements. The Action Plan has forty-six actions, twelve of which are HMIC’s recommendations. The MPS have so far completed twenty-one actions of which six are HMIC recommendations. The MPS Strategic PNC Committee, chaired by DAC House drives the implementation of the action plan.

15. HMIC have been provided with the latest position statement and a copy of the completed and live actions; they have not responded to this information.

16. There has been considerable marketing and awareness activity over the past few months. One of the key objectives of this activity is to improve the completeness, timeliness and quality of data submitted to the PNC. Appendix 2 outlines all the work being undertaken in this area.

17. Systems to evaluate the impact of this activity on data quality and on compliance are going to be further developed at Wandsworth Borough. The Borough has agreed to act as a development site.

PNC Performance Indicators

18. PITO’s latest information for August 2002 show that for recording of arrest and charge information on PNC, the MPS stands at 88.3% within 24 hours (target 90% within 24 hours). The average for English Forces for August is 69.2%.

19. This information also shows that the MPS manages to enter 20.8 % of case disposal results within 7 days (target 100% within 7 days). The average for English Forces is 28.5%. Turnaround will be adversely affected for forces undertaking completion of court results on long-standing Impending Prosecutions.

20. The current realignment of senior management responsibilities will have an impact on which directorate takes responsibility for monitoring PNC performance. Responsibility is likely to transfer to the Specialist Crime Directorate.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Ravi Pillai, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

PNC use communication strategy

Extract from Monthly Management Report - MPS Impending Prosecution monthly report of performance- Oct 2002

Aim

• To increase the use of PNC applications as an investigative and intelligence tool to assist operational policing at all levels

Objectives

• To raise awareness of the PNC applications particularly VODS and QUEST
• To explain how the systems work in practice
• To demonstrate the effectiveness of the services in crime investigation and crime reduction
• To encourage officers to use, or consider using, the applications in all investigations
• To ensure consistency of the message given throughout the MPS
• To improve the timeliness and quality of Arrest/Summons submissions

Key Messages

• PNC is an essential intelligence tool
• PNC is a key crime investigation tool for all police investigations
• PNC is a key operational tool for patrol officers
• Checking all the relevant PNC applications properly can provide vital leads to assist in identifying offenders and vehicles
• Staff in Control rooms / PNC Bureau and BIU’s can provide immediate checks during live incidents
• The PNC can provide high quality information< but only if everyone helps to keep the systems up-to-date.

Audiences

The target audience could within a UNIT be broken down into manageable groups to assist in disseminating the information.

• All managers and supervisors
• Divisional Training Officers
• All BIU staff
• All PC’s
• All DC’s
• All control room staff
• All SMT
• Selected CJU staff
• Custody Officers
• Other relevant staff as identified by line managers

Methods

• Presentation by PITO staff to high priority groups
• Briefings Notes
• Training/Presentation package for Divisional Training Officers
• Incorporate details into other relevant training programmes
• Intranet- include information, contact details, feedback point, FAQ’s
• E-mail- to send specific message to targeted groups
• Develop a Q & A sheet on how to, when to etc
• Article in JOB- focusing on real life example of success the system can bring
• BOCU/Dept Newsletters
• BOCU Commander’s vision
• Noticeboards- PITO poster etc
• Pocket book size factsheet
• Consider use of wage slip- for messages

Current status

• All CID training courses – get input from Danny Macgannan, PITO- theme ‘PNC as an investigative, operational and intelligence tool’ – covering VODS, QUEST and Transaction Codes.
• All SIO courses get an input from SO3-3 Policy and Planning Staff and IT Training School as CID course above.
• During launch of Drivers Application on 16th September 2002, the specially selected staff (BIU staff, PNC via OTIS trainers, Divisional Trainers) given input as CID course above. Asked to spread the message to BOCU’s and specialist units whence they came from
• All probationers attending personal development units (PDU) are given an insight into PNC’s capability especially VODS and QUEST. They have instruction on the completion of PNCB forms and the importance of data quality, timeliness and completeness are emphasized. In addition the PNC theme especially around its use in investigating and solving crime is threaded through rest of their attendance’s at PDU.
• Senior members of the MPS Strategic PNC Committee have had a presentation form Danny Macgannan- as CID above- to raise awareness of PNC issues. Issues around the management of PNC performance was also reviewed( July 22nd 2002)
• All operational staff at Wandsworth borough to receive PNC awareness training as part of their Divisional Training commencing in January. Wandsworth is to act as a ‘development site’ for developing further strategies to raise awareness.
• Article in the JOB on 11th October to launch Driver’s application and raise awareness of PNC’s capabilities.
• PNC Website near completion. The site will have articles designed to inform officers of PNC’s capabilities. There will be links to PNC Policy, PNCB forms, Guidance on how to complete PNCB forms, FAQ’s etc. Due to be completed by end of October

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