Rape Monitoring Group: Digests and data 2015/16

The Rape Monitoring Group has today published 42 local area digests showing how cases of rape are dealt with at all stages of the criminal justice process.

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Rape Monitoring Group: Digests and data 2015/16

These local area digests pull together a range of Home Office/Office for National Statistics, Crown Prosecution Service and Ministry of Justice data on rape.

The data released is gathered from different sources, over different timescales. This prevents direct comparison between local areas, and means that it is not possible to track the results of specific cases. What it does show is both the scale of reported rape, and the variation of outcomes.

Chair of the Rape Monitoring Group, HMI Wendy Williams said:

“This is the fourth year the RMG has released data on rape. The intention for the release of these digests is to encourage a more thorough analysis of how rape is dealt with throughout the criminal justice process.

“We know that the data can only provide one part of the performance picture on rape; numbers alone cannot tell the full story and we have worked hard to provide context and understanding. We urge those involved in preventing and supporting victims of rape to read the digest for their local area, to prompt discussions about what needs to improve.”

The digests now include data on transferred or cancelled records. This allows the reader to distinguish between recorded crime reports where:

• a crime committed outside the jurisdiction of the police force in which it was recorded was passed to the appropriate force (transferred);
• additional verifiable information determines that no notifiable crime occurred (cancelled);
• there has been a duplication of a recorded crime, or part of a crime has already been recorded (cancelled); and
• a crime has been recorded in error (cancelled).

In addition, the RMG is also able to publish full data under the new outcomes framework demonstrating how offences of rape are being dealt with by the criminal justice system.

Get the digests

Rape Monitoring Group: Digests and data 2015/16

Notes for editors

• The RMG is a national multi agency group coordinated by HMIC, which was established in 2007 to support and challenge progress across the criminal justice system in improving the response to rape. Since 2014 it has been publishing reports containing data from across the criminal justice system on rape, for both adult and children, with an accompanying narrative.
• These digests are released by HMIC on behalf of the RMG.
• The digests contain only data that has been previously published.
• The digests include:
  • Police-recorded data on rape, broken down by adult or child, comprising:
    • the number of recorded rapes;
    • how many rapes were initially recorded as such, but then declassified to transferred or cancelled records (formerly no-crimes); and
    • outcomes (by type) for police rape investigations;
  • Data from the Crown Prosecution Service, comprising:
    • the number of cases, by suspect, referred to the Crown Prosecution Service by the force for a decision on whether or not to charge with rape, and the number of defendants charged with rape; and
    • the number of prosecutions and the number of convictions, by defendant.
    • the reasons recorded for cases that do not result in a conviction.
  • Data from the Ministry of Justice, comprising:
    • the number of prosecutions and convictions;
    • the time taken from charge to completion of proceedings; and
    • the average custodial sentence lengths for convicted offenders.
• The RMG comprises representatives from the National Police Chiefs’ Council, College of Policing, Crown Prosecution Service, Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, Home Office, local policing bodies, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, Ministry of Justice and voluntary sector partners. HM Inspector of Constabulary, Wendy Williams, chairs the group.
• The data reflects the most up to date figures that have been released.
• There are 42 digests reflecting police force areas; the Metropolitan Police Service and City of London Police are combined to make up the London area. Comparisons between forces need to be made with care. Full caveats are presented throughout the document, alongside the relevant data sets.
• For further information, HMIC’s press office can be contacted during office hours from 8:30am – 5:30pm, Monday – Friday on 020 3513 0600.
• HMIC’s out-of-hours press office line for urgent media enquiries is 07836 217 729.