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| Police fail to record quarter of reported sexual offences, says HMIC | Police fail to record quarter of reported sexual offences, says HMIC |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More than a quarter of sex offences are not being recorded as crimes by police in England and Wales, a watchdog says. | More than a quarter of sex offences are not being recorded as crimes by police in England and Wales, a watchdog says. |
| An HM Inspectorate of Constabulary report said the failure to properly record crime was "indefensible". | |
| More than 800,000 - or one in five - of all reported crimes went unrecorded each year, it said. | More than 800,000 - or one in five - of all reported crimes went unrecorded each year, it said. |
| Home Secretary Theresa May described the findings as "utterly unacceptable", but police representatives said the situation had improved since the study. | Home Secretary Theresa May described the findings as "utterly unacceptable", but police representatives said the situation had improved since the study. |
| 'Serious concern' | 'Serious concern' |
| The inspection, which looked more than 8,000 reports of crime across all 43 police forces in England and Wales between November 2012 and October 2013, discovered 37 cases of rape that were not recorded as a crime. | The inspection, which looked more than 8,000 reports of crime across all 43 police forces in England and Wales between November 2012 and October 2013, discovered 37 cases of rape that were not recorded as a crime. |
| Even when crimes were recorded correctly, many were subsequently removed or cancelled from the system as "no-crimes" because they were deemed not to have taken place, it said. | Even when crimes were recorded correctly, many were subsequently removed or cancelled from the system as "no-crimes" because they were deemed not to have taken place, it said. |
| One in five of the 3,246 no-crime decisions were found to be incorrect - including more than 200 rapes and more than 250 violent crimes. | One in five of the 3,246 no-crime decisions were found to be incorrect - including more than 200 rapes and more than 250 violent crimes. |
| The report found that in more than a fifth of 3,700 cases, offenders were given out-of-court disposals such as a caution or a penalty notice when they should have been charged and sent to court or given a heavier penalty. | The report found that in more than a fifth of 3,700 cases, offenders were given out-of-court disposals such as a caution or a penalty notice when they should have been charged and sent to court or given a heavier penalty. |
| "The position in the case of rape and other sexual offences is a matter of especially serious concern," said Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor. | "The position in the case of rape and other sexual offences is a matter of especially serious concern," said Chief Inspector of Constabulary Tom Winsor. |
| "It is particularly important that in cases as serious as rape, these shortcomings are put right as a matter of the greatest urgency. In some forces, action is already being taken in this respect." | "It is particularly important that in cases as serious as rape, these shortcomings are put right as a matter of the greatest urgency. In some forces, action is already being taken in this respect." |
| He said the police should "immediately institutionalise" the presumption that the victim is to be believed. | He said the police should "immediately institutionalise" the presumption that the victim is to be believed. |
| "If evidence later comes to light which shows that no crime occurred, then the record should be corrected; that is how the system is supposed to work," he added. | "If evidence later comes to light which shows that no crime occurred, then the record should be corrected; that is how the system is supposed to work," he added. |
| 'Lapses in leadership' | 'Lapses in leadership' |
| Police are obliged to inform victims about their decisions, but in more than 800 of the cases examined there was no record of the victim having been told. | Police are obliged to inform victims about their decisions, but in more than 800 of the cases examined there was no record of the victim having been told. |
| Victims may have been under the impression that their crimes were being investigated when they were not, the report said. | Victims may have been under the impression that their crimes were being investigated when they were not, the report said. |
| It said relatively little firm evidence had been found of undue pressure being put on officers to manipulate figures. | It said relatively little firm evidence had been found of undue pressure being put on officers to manipulate figures. |
| But in a survey, some officers and staff did say performance and other pressures were distorting their crime-recording decisions, "and when presented with that picture, a number of forces admitted it". | But in a survey, some officers and staff did say performance and other pressures were distorting their crime-recording decisions, "and when presented with that picture, a number of forces admitted it". |
| Inspectors were told that pressure to hit crime reduction targets imposed by "middle managers" had the effect of limiting the number of crimes logged. | |
| The report recommended that standard training established by the College of Policing be provided by each force. | |
| 'Pressures from workload' | 'Pressures from workload' |
| Mrs May said: "It is never acceptable for the police to mis-record crime. Failing to do so not only lets down victims, but the wider public who expect to be able to trust the integrity of police recorded crime." | Mrs May said: "It is never acceptable for the police to mis-record crime. Failing to do so not only lets down victims, but the wider public who expect to be able to trust the integrity of police recorded crime." |
| There had been "utterly unacceptable failings" in the way police forces have recorded crime but matters were improving, she said. | |
| Shadow policing minister Jack Dromey said it was time for Mrs May to "get a grip on this and make urgent changes to the way the police record crime". | Shadow policing minister Jack Dromey said it was time for Mrs May to "get a grip on this and make urgent changes to the way the police record crime". |
| Chief Constable Jeff Farrar, lead for crime recording at the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "Pressures from workload and target culture, use of professional judgment in the interests of victims, lack of understanding of recording rules or inadequate supervision can all lead to inaccurate crime recording. | Chief Constable Jeff Farrar, lead for crime recording at the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "Pressures from workload and target culture, use of professional judgment in the interests of victims, lack of understanding of recording rules or inadequate supervision can all lead to inaccurate crime recording. |
| "There have been allegations of improper practice, such as dishonest manipulation, in crime recording, however, the biggest and most in-depth inspection ever conducted by HMIC could not find anyone to come forward with any firm evidence to support this." | "There have been allegations of improper practice, such as dishonest manipulation, in crime recording, however, the biggest and most in-depth inspection ever conducted by HMIC could not find anyone to come forward with any firm evidence to support this." |
| Ch Supt Irene Curtis, president of the Police Superintendents' Association, said recorded crime was a measure of demand on police resources rather than police performance. | Ch Supt Irene Curtis, president of the Police Superintendents' Association, said recorded crime was a measure of demand on police resources rather than police performance. |
| "HMIC's report covers a period of at least 12 months ago and recognises that considerable improvements have already been made since that period," she said. | "HMIC's report covers a period of at least 12 months ago and recognises that considerable improvements have already been made since that period," she said. |
| Crime numbers | Crime numbers |
| Earlier this year an interim report by Mr Winsor, covering 13 forces, made a similar conclusion that a fifth of crimes could be going unrecorded by police. | Earlier this year an interim report by Mr Winsor, covering 13 forces, made a similar conclusion that a fifth of crimes could be going unrecorded by police. |
| An unrecorded crime is classed as one that is reported to the police but not recorded as an offence. | An unrecorded crime is classed as one that is reported to the police but not recorded as an offence. |
| Last month, official figures showed the number of rapes reported to and recorded by police in England and Wales was at its highest ever level. | Last month, official figures showed the number of rapes reported to and recorded by police in England and Wales was at its highest ever level. |
| The Office for National Statistics said there were 22,116 recorded rapes in the year to June, a rise of 29% on the year before. | The Office for National Statistics said there were 22,116 recorded rapes in the year to June, a rise of 29% on the year before. |
| Separate statistics from the Crime Survey for England and Wales showed overall crime fell by 16% to 7.1 million cases. | Separate statistics from the Crime Survey for England and Wales showed overall crime fell by 16% to 7.1 million cases. |