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| Sex abuse: Labour promises power for victims to challenge police | Sex abuse: Labour promises power for victims to challenge police |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour has said it would give victims of sexual offences the right to challenge decisions by police not to prosecute suspects. | Labour has said it would give victims of sexual offences the right to challenge decisions by police not to prosecute suspects. |
| The plans would allow victims to ask for a case to be reviewed when police identified a suspect but did not pass a file to the Crown Prosecution Service. | The plans would allow victims to ask for a case to be reviewed when police identified a suspect but did not pass a file to the Crown Prosecution Service. |
| The policy would begin with rape and child sexual exploitation cases. | The policy would begin with rape and child sexual exploitation cases. |
| Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said it was time to "put victims in the driving seat". | Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said it was time to "put victims in the driving seat". |
| 'Not good enough' | 'Not good enough' |
| The CPS already has a right to review scheme in place, where victims can request a review of their case if it is dropped by prosecutors before reaching the courtroom. | The CPS already has a right to review scheme in place, where victims can request a review of their case if it is dropped by prosecutors before reaching the courtroom. |
| Labour said it intended to extend this to decisions by the police. | Labour said it intended to extend this to decisions by the police. |
| Ms Cooper said: "Rape and child sexual exploitation are vile crimes that ruin lives and destroy families. | Ms Cooper said: "Rape and child sexual exploitation are vile crimes that ruin lives and destroy families. |
| "Too often victims and survivors aren't listened to and aren't heard, especially children. | "Too often victims and survivors aren't listened to and aren't heard, especially children. |
| "And although reports to the police have gone up, arrests and prosecutions have gone down. | "And although reports to the police have gone up, arrests and prosecutions have gone down. |
| "But right now if the police decide not to pursue a crime, there is little more victims or their families can do. That's not good enough. | "But right now if the police decide not to pursue a crime, there is little more victims or their families can do. That's not good enough. |
| "We'll change the law so that if the police decide to drop a case after a suspect has been identified, victims will have a new right to challenge their decision. | "We'll change the law so that if the police decide to drop a case after a suspect has been identified, victims will have a new right to challenge their decision. |
| "It's time to change the culture, stop these awful crimes being hidden away and put victims in the driving seat." | "It's time to change the culture, stop these awful crimes being hidden away and put victims in the driving seat." |
| Labour said that of 16,300 complaints of rape made to the police in England and Wales in 2012-13, 5,400 were passed to the CPS. | Labour said that of 16,300 complaints of rape made to the police in England and Wales in 2012-13, 5,400 were passed to the CPS. |
| The party said a decision to drop a case when a suspect had been identified would follow the process used by the CPS, of local resolution followed by independent review. | The party said a decision to drop a case when a suspect had been identified would follow the process used by the CPS, of local resolution followed by independent review. |
| Under the plans, the decision to drop the case would be first be checked by a prosecutor who has not been involved with the case previously. | Under the plans, the decision to drop the case would be first be checked by a prosecutor who has not been involved with the case previously. |
| Labour said it would ensure victims were provided with a clear and detailed explanation of the decision and the local resolution would normally be completed within 10 days of the receipt of a request for review. | Labour said it would ensure victims were provided with a clear and detailed explanation of the decision and the local resolution would normally be completed within 10 days of the receipt of a request for review. |
| If the victim were not satisfied with the local resolution, the decision would be independently reviewed by another prosecutor. | If the victim were not satisfied with the local resolution, the decision would be independently reviewed by another prosecutor. |
| Former Thames Valley Chief Constable and head of the National Policing Improvement Agency, Peter Neyroud, said: "It is critical that victims have a right to review decisions all the way from the duty to record and allegation, through to decisions on whether to pursue a prosecution. | Former Thames Valley Chief Constable and head of the National Policing Improvement Agency, Peter Neyroud, said: "It is critical that victims have a right to review decisions all the way from the duty to record and allegation, through to decisions on whether to pursue a prosecution. |
| "Not only does this put the spotlight of accountability on the police, but it also gives the victim an important additional opportunity to influence their case and understand the decisions. | "Not only does this put the spotlight of accountability on the police, but it also gives the victim an important additional opportunity to influence their case and understand the decisions. |
| "Sometimes this will encourage a fresh angle to the case; sometimes there will be no new avenues. But there should always be a full and frank explanation of the steps taken to bring an offender to justice and the rationale for police decision." | "Sometimes this will encourage a fresh angle to the case; sometimes there will be no new avenues. But there should always be a full and frank explanation of the steps taken to bring an offender to justice and the rationale for police decision." |