Rape investigation and victim care – MPA scrutiny of MPS performance and recommendations for improvement

35/02
10 April 2002

Investigation of rape cases and victim care, while of high quality in some of London’s policing boroughs, needs to be improved and standardised across the entire Metropolitan Police Service to ensure the best possible service is provided to all victims of rape, concludes a scrutiny report by the Metropolitan Police Authority. 

A panel of five members of the Authority heard evidence from key people with views on rape investigation and victim care. In addition, written evidence was gathered from organisations across London and from a victim questionnaire. Panel members also visited victim referral centres and attended conferences on the subject of rape.

From all of the evidence heard, the panel has made 38 recommendations in the area of rape investigation and victim care. 

The panel’s most important findings are that:

• Two Sexual Assault Referral Centres, similar to the existing Haven facility in Camberwell, should be developed to provide a high standard of victim care across London. Such centres would be open 24 hours a day with medical staff on hand to provide examination and victim care services and are considered by the panel to be far superior to existing police victim examination suites, currently used in most of London.
• Child Protection Teams (CPTs) in the Metropolitan Police take over responsibility for victim care and investigation of cases sexual assault by strangers against children. These cases are currently dealt with by rape investigation team but the scrutiny panel felt that the skills gained by CPTs in dealing with child victims made them better placed for dealing with these offences.
• The specialist police officers trained to take care of rape victims should be appropriate in number to be able to cover the whole of London for 24 hours a day and should be well trained, supported by managers and work to a code of conduct which should be developed. In addition these officers should work in dedicated teams in each area of London, whereas currently only some London boroughs have such teams.
• The Metropolitan Police should work more closely with the voluntary sector and other organisations to ensure that victims, and officers supporting victims, receive appropriate and accredited counselling services.
• There is a need for improved relations with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) with a review needed of support to victims attending court including the information given to them and pre-trial visits.

Richard Sumray, Chair of the scrutiny panel, said:

“The scrutiny panel was impressed by specific instances of dedicated, high quality service provision, but these underscored our concern that a process of disseminating best practice across the entire MPS needed to be formulated. Verbal and written evidence collated during the scrutiny process informed our recommendations and helped to pin point those areas of best practice which should be built upon to provide a model of excellence. 

“The panel and those consulted were all impressed by the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) known as The Haven, a facility for examining victims of rape and other sexual assault offences based in a South London hospital. The Haven provides a superior service than could be provided by police Victim Examination Suite (VES).

“We are in support of pan-London coverage of SARCs, similar to the Haven model. The MPA will need to work with the MPS to ensure funding of these centres but feel that they demonstrate value for money and best practice for victim care. We recommend therefore that two new SARCs should be contained within the MPA budget for 2003/04 and that joint funding by the NHS should be pursued. 

“I am pleased to acknowledge that the MPS has been thoroughly receptive to the scrutiny throughout and indeed decided to implement one of our recommendations before the investigation was complete. A decision was made to transfer investigation of stranger sex offences against children from SOIT officers in territorial policing to the specialised Child Protection Teams (CPTs), whom it was felt provided a more appropriate home.

“Sexual Offence Investigation (SOIT) officers were praised for the care they provide, but the panel identified that in order to maximize this source of expertise their roles need to be defined and enhanced, and supported with the appropriate level of structural facilities in order to provide 24-hour coverage across the capital. 

“Similarly the panel was concerned that in terms of internal MPS structures there was a need for a fundamental reassessment of the priority given to rape investigation as an issue. The panel recommends that rape investigation should have a permanent central coordination unit within the MPS and that dedicated sexual offence investigation teams be developed for all boroughs, sometimes to be shared as a resource by two boroughs. 

“The adoption of a partnership approach between the MPS and other involved agencies in many areas we investigated, such as the further provision of Sexual Assault Referral Centres, ensuring victims of rape receive appropriate counselling services as and when required, and the role of the CPS and court system, is vital to achieving, maintaining and continuously improving the service the police can provide.” 

In conclusion, Richard Sumray said:

“We would like to thank all of those who gave evidence to the panel. The recommendations we have made consequently aim to be practical and to provide the MPS with an external viewpoint on vital, realistic and deserved improvements to be made regarding the service provided to rape victims and the investigation of cases. We now need to ensure that they are followed through and we shall request an implementation plan with timescales for measures to be put in place and will monitor progress.” 

Notes to editors

1. Press Briefing – Wednesday 10 April 2002, 12:45.
   Held in AG23, Romney House, Tufton Street, London, SW1P 3PY
   Please call Michael Upton to register interest on MPA Media line.
   * Copies of the Scrutiny and press release will be available (under embargo) for collection from this address from 10:00am on the morning.
2. A key function of the MPA is securing continuous improvement in policing services provided by the MPS and regularly monitoring performance. In June 2001 the MPA’s Professional Standards and Performance Monitoring Committee (PSPM) agreed that it should extend its performance monitoring capacity by setting up a scrutiny process, to be conducted by sub-groups of MPA members.
3. The MPA members who conducted this first scrutiny were Cindy Butts, Elizabeth Howlett, Cecile Lothian, Angela Slaven (resigned as an MPA member with effect from 02/01/02) and Richard Sumray (Chair).
4. The terms of reference for the scrutiny were agreed to be: 

• to hear evidence from victim groups and representative organisations regarding the service provided to victims of rape in London by the police;
• to consider current practice in the MPS, the best practice from London boroughs, other national forces and worldwide in respect of investigation; and
• to provide recommendations for improving victim care and subsequent investigation.

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