Avon and Somerset Constabulary needs to improve how it records crime

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has today published an assessment on the accuracy of crime recording in Avon and Somerset Constabulary, which found that the force records only around 90 percent of crimes reported to it. HMIC previously inspected the accuracy of crime recording in Avon and Somerset Constabulary in 2014.

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Avon and Somerset Constabulary: Crime Data Integrity inspection 2016

To assess the extent that recorded crime information in Avon and Somerset Constabulary can be trusted, HMIC asked:

  • How effective is the force at recording reported crime?
  • How efficiently do the systems and processes in the force support accurate crime-recording?
  • How well does the force demonstrate the leadership and culture necessary to meet the national standards for crime-recording?

Based on these criteria, overall HMIC has judged Avon and Somerset Constabulary as ‘requires improvement’.

HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said:

“While Avon and Somerset Constabulary has improved its crime-recording processes since HMIC’s 2014 report, further efforts must continue to be made.

“I am pleased to note that we found that the force has made some improvements and is, for example, developing a predictive tool that should help with its crime recording performance.

“We also found strong leadership from senior officers in relation to crime-recording expectations, and an approach among the majority of officers and staff which places the victim at the forefront of their crime-recording decisions.

“Despite this, we estimate that over 13,700 reports of crime are not being recorded by Avon and Somerset Constabulary each year.

“I am very concerned that this under-reporting could deprive many victims of the services to which they are entitled.

“We found that Avon and Somerset Constabulary is under-recording serious offences such as rape and crimes of modern slavery. I am concerned by this as violent and serious crime can be particularly upsetting for victims and they often need substantial support.

“Victims of crime deserve the best possible service at all stages of their interaction with their police force. I have made a number of recommendations to help the force achieve greater accuracy in recording crimes to keep people safe. I will continue to monitor the force during 2017 to assess the progress against these recommendations.”

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Avon and Somerset Constabulary: Crime Data Integrity inspection 2016

Notes to editors

  1. HMIC is an independent inspectorate, inspecting policing to promote improvements in policing that make everyone safer, and assesses and reports on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces to tackle crime and terrorism, improve criminal justice and raise confidence. HMIC inspects all 43 police forces in England and Wales together with other major policing and law enforcement bodies. HMIC are unable to make direct comparisons with the 2014 inspection due to a change in the methodology used. In particular, the 2014 inspection was a dip-sample of records in each force which contributed to a statistically robust rate for crime-recording accuracy for England and Wales, whereas this inspection is working to a statistically robust standard within each force.
  2. Further information on how Avon and Somerset Constabulary is performing can be found on HMIC’s online assessment tool, at www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk///peel-assessments/peel-2016/
  3. For further information, HMIC’s press office can be contacted during office hours from 8:30am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday on 0203 513 0600.
  4. HMIC’s out-of-hours press office line for urgent media enquiries is 07836 217 729.
  5. Follow HMIC on Twitter .