Response to Letter: Wandsworth

Report: 1b
Response to MPA Letter following presentation to MPA Domestic & Sexual Violence Board on 6 October 2009
Date: 13 April 2010
By Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell

Wandsworth Borough Police has been asked to address the following areas raised by the MPA Domestic and Sexual Violence Board, following its presentation on 6 October 2010. The Borough welcomed the opportunity to address Board and obtain the advice and guidance of its members. The Borough remains committed to working with partners to improve the services offered to domestic and sexual violence victims. The recent presentation has given the Borough an opportunity to review current processes, risk understanding and service offered / provided to survivors. We have a continued aspiration to improve our responses and to this end we will continue to work with our partners (statutory and non-statutory) to improve the quality and effectiveness of the services that we offer.

1. Data across domestic and sexual violence in relation to disability and sexuality of victims and perpetrators to be provided as requested in the Commissioning brief.

Figures obtained from PIB

Domestic Violence Incidents - Survivors - 3.1% are shown as having a disability, 96.3% without and 0.6% not recorded. [1] Perpetrators - 3.9% are shown as having a disability, 96.1% without. During this period we have 40 same sex DV incidents, involving 43 people, which can be broken down into 12 female, 30 male and 1 not identified. Within the incidents there were 24 offences with 4 female survivors, 19 male survivors and 1 unidentified.

Serious Sexual Violence - Survivors - 50% are shown as having a disability, and 50% are recorded without. 100% of the survivors do not have their sexual orientation recorded. Perpetrators - 100% of offenders do not have the disability recorded and 100% do not have their sexual orientation recorded.

In addition the Borough is undertaking further research to quality assure the investigations and performance outcomes relating to disabled victims of SSO.

2. A brief Outline of any projects stemming from the CDRP relating to the domestic and/or sexual violence.

Although there are no specific new projects that are funded or motivated by the CDRP, Wandsworth Borough continues to part fund the current IDVAs. The Borough is on target to achieve the majority of the Local Area Agreement (LAA) stretch targets but the final results and exact monies will not be known until later in the year. The funding – circa £400k will be awarded to Wandsworth Police and consideration / bids will be sought from partner agencies. The following areas are being considered:

1. Additional IDVAs to be managed by VSS.
2. Work with SCD2 / VSS to fund an ISVA
3. Continued funding of MARAC co coordinator
4. Project directed at victim satisfaction
5. Problem solving re repeat victims
6. Marketing services to BME communities, disabled, older and LGBT People.
7. Support NGOs specialising in assisting BME, disabled, older and LGBT People.

3. Feedback on the possibility of implementing a sexual violence forum or on how to integrate sexual violence work into DV Forum

This process is being managed by the recently formed SCD2 Rape Investigation Command who have been tasked to review the possibility of implementing a Sexual Violence Forum. The following options are being considered within SCD2 but will be done in consultation with partners:

1. Independent Sexual Violence Forum.
2. Expand the current Domestic Violence Forum to include sexual violence
3. Cross Border Merton and Wandsworth Boroughs Sexual Violence Forum, which will provide resilience and complement the current local SCD2 investigation model.

It is also acknowledged this development responsibility does not sit solely with SCD2 and Wandsworth police will continue to work with SCD2 to achieve the end goal. The borough is seeking to achieve decisions regarding this by early April 2010.

4. An Outline of the process of engagement with local partners in the undertaking the three DV Homicide reviews.

Homicides 1 and 2

Following both homicides, DI Hodgson, Wandsworth Police CSU, wrote to a range of partners involved in the local management and support of domestic violence survivors.

The letters contained brief details of the parties concerned in both homicides and requested that all partners and agencies that may have information on them to respond with details of their dealings and actions taken. The letters explained:-

• the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) DV homicide review process and connectivity to its DV strategy
• the MPS’ commitment to reducing DV homicides and learning lessons to improve our services and prevent homicides
• the MPS has adapted the ‘Part 8 Serious Case Review‘ system to encourage all partners to reassess their involvement with the victim / family.

As the officer in charge of Wandsworth Borough Community Safety Unit, it was DCSU Detective Inspector’s responsibility to ensure that agencies that may have had contact with either the victims or perpetrators were requested to provide a chronological account of such contacts.

Contact was made with the following agencies:

• Wandsworth Borough Adult Social Services and Housing departments,
• Wandsworth Victim Support,
• Wandsworth Probation Service,
• The PCT and St Georges Healthcare NHS Trust,
• SW London & St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (Mental Health Services) and Social Work departments
• Wandsworth DV Forum.

All responses received from partner agencies were provided to the MPS Critical Incident Advisory Team (CIAT) to inform their reviews. Both homicides and the review process were discussed at subsequent MARAC and DV FORUM meetings and lessons learnt / recommendations made shared with partners. The MPS will be proactive with partners in taking forward these recommendations. In addition the borough will seek to ensure that a wider range of NGOs are consulted regarding any future service delivery or review processes.

Homicide 3

With regard to the third DV Homicide - Partners and the DV Forum were personally addressed regarding the circumstances surrounding the death and any agency involvement. The homicide was further discussed with both MARAC and DV Forums, seeking additional information.

Following the CIAT Review an action plan was created implementing the recommendations and organisational learning, which has been shared with partners. The defendant in this case was recently convicted of murder and was handed down a 20-year sentence of imprisonment.

5. An Update on the proposed reinstatement of the local DV charging “surgery” with the CPS and explore what impact, if any, this and the sexual violence surgery have had on criminal justice outcomes.

The benefits of the local CPS surgery were more apparent when it was withdrawn, due to CPS resource issues. After a short re-introduction this service has now been withdrawn. From the police perspective the surgery has allowed investigators to focus on achieving qualitative outcomes, whether it be charging, independent prosecutions or alternative support through IDVAs. Experience has shown that early CPS guidance has been key in supporting key objectives within the DV strategy including bringing offenders to justice and improvements in the attrition rate. The relationship between Wandsworth Police and the CPS has been particularly strong and there are regular lines of communication at Branch Crown Prosecutor and DC/DI level.

The current DV attrition rate of 26% fluctuates each month and it is difficult to gauge if the CPS surgery can be attributed to any success. The following CPS data, which relates to unsuccessful prosecutions for DV April 09 - Nov 09 may assist in making an assessment:

April 50%, May 61.5%, June 47.2%, July 46.9%, Aug 57.7%, Sept 46.4%, Oct 50%, Nov 54.5%.

Suffice to say the MPS is committed to working with CPS to re-generate the focussed surgeries and to reduce the attrition rate.

7. Identification of how the BOCU is engaging with women specifically around the issues of abuse from the perspective of the LGBT community.

The police and DV Forum have recognised the need to engage with LGBT People and LGBT specialist organisations to better understand DV issues within same sex relationships. Work is on-going to obtain funding from Stonewall to promote awareness and encourage a stronger link between Police, partners and the LGBT community. Work is also on going to obtain figures from Broken Rainbow to understand the extent of under reporting.

In 2009 nine callers have rung stating that they are from Wandsworth Borough, although this figure can never be truly accurate due to the confidential nature of the service provided. For comparison purposes London had a total of 105 callers for the same period.

In addition more focused work will be undertaken by the Borough’s LGBT Liaison Officers to engage with LGBT People, market services and encourage reporting. This will form part of the boroughs’ Public Protection strategy being led by the Detective Superintendent.

8. Exploration of the possibility of an SDVC within the Borough.

Whilst there are no plans yet for the development of a Specialist DV Court the Borough is committed to working with its DV and criminal justice partners to research the possibility. The MPS would welcome such a development, which would reduce attrition rates, repeat victimisation/perpetration rates and reduce seriousness.

As an interim measure the MPS will be canvassing stakeholders about the possibility of conducting a local pilot. This will be explored further with the Borough Criminal Justice Board.

9. Confirmation of the fortnightly sexual violence intelligence meetings continue to take place and an update on how SCD2 is involved in this process.

The fortnightly meetings continue to take place and it is clear that this has been a great benefit to Borough and SCD staff investigating sexual offences. The membership includes Wandsworth / Merton SCD2. The Borough Intelligence Unit now has an A/Detective Sergeant dedicated to sexual violence. We will continue to drive and improve intelligence support to front line staff and investigators and work closely with SCD2 and MIB intelligence services. The aim is to provide better communication and intelligence / information sharing particularly around the lower level offending to more readily and efficiently identify signal offences, escalation and linked series to proactively identify perpetrators and prevent crimes.

The following has been developed:

• Dedicated SPOC within BIU for sexual offences
• Increased people and financial resources within the Borough CID to investigate the offences outside the SCD2 remit, (approximately 250 crimes annually left behind).
• The Borough has recently committed a DC to assist SCD 2 in rape investigation work for the next week months
• Monthly meeting between DCI public protection and DI SCD2 to discuss on going rape and Serious Sexual Offence matters.
• Sexual Violence spreadsheet managed by DI within main office.
• Inclusion in Daily Management and Tasking Meeting processes for SMT oversight, leadership support and accountability
• Connection to the Borough’s over-arching Public Protection strategy led by the Detective Superintendent.

10. An exploration of why 25% of serious sexual offences are NO CRIMED or CRI’d and any measures taken to review this.

Through reviewing crimes it has become apparent that there are several possible explanations for the relatively high percentage of crimes that are NO CRIMED or CRI’d (i.e. crime related incident). Of note it was pertinent that staff had not grasped aspects of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which result in changes to crime classifications post primary investigation. To address this, training has been delivered to all staff across the Borough including:

• The definition of the 2003 Act and key facts regarding the legislation.
• Forensic awareness in relation to initial investigation.
• Effective primary investigation, supervision, risk assessment/management and victim support.

Allied to this that following a robust secondary investigation, resulting in the exact circumstances being understood, crime classifications were changed in accordance with policy. On occasion it seems aspects of the initial allegation may not be consistent with the final outcome. To ensure that integrity and transparency the Borough has introduced the following:

• Before rape crimes were transferred to SCD2 a local policy was introduced whereby rapes could only be confirmed as a NO CRIME or CRI’d by Borough Commander.
• Sexual offence investigation could only be put away with the authority of a senior CID officer of Detective Inspector or above.
• With the inception of SCD2 the responsibility for classifying rape rests with SCD2, who have their own centralised crime management unit.
• Other serious sexual offences remain with the Borough and are subject to a stringent review process.

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