By Actuality Test crewBBC Informationpicture copyrightUK Parliament/Jessica TaylorThe sharp fall in rape prosecutions in England and Wales dominate
By Actuality Test crew
BBC Information
picture copyrightUK Parliament/Jessica TaylorThe sharp fall in rape prosecutions in England and Wales dominated exchanges between Boris Johnson and the Labour chief Keir Starmer at Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions.
The federal government revealed its long-awaited evaluate into how rape is handled within the felony justice system final week, with the justice secretary apologising to victims.
At this time, the prime minister and the Labour chief argued about rape prosecutions – we have checked out a few of their claims:
Starmer: ‘Rape prosecutions have halved since 2016…[and] 98.4% of reported rapes do not find yourself in a cost’
In 2015-16, there have been 4,643 rape prosecutions in England and Wales.
By 2019-20, that they had fallen to 2,102 – so it is right to say they’ve halved.
The evaluate units out “an ambition to extend the quantity of instances progressing by the system in order that extra instances get to courtroom, and extra convictions are delivered, returning to 2016 ranges”.
Johnson: ‘We have elevated the numbers of individuals within the Crown Prosecution Service by at the least 200’
The prime minister denied claims that funds cuts to the felony justice system had been in charge for the rape prosecution figures.
It is right that employees within the Legal Prosecution Service (CPS) – which conducts felony prosecutions – did enhance by almost 200 between 2019 and 2020 (from 5,552 to five,720).
However that rise would not come near replenishing the employees misplaced between 2010-11 and 2019-20 – numbers fell by 2,374 over that interval.
picture copyrightUK Parliament/Jessica TaylorJohnson: ‘We have been investing extra within the CPS – one other £85m’
In 2019, the federal government introduced an additional £85m funding for the CPS to assist it examine violent crime and cope with the “explosion in digital proof” – so this assertion is right.
However this comes off the again of significant funds cuts to the Ministry of Justice (which incorporates the CPS).
Final week, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland was requested about whether or not cuts had been an element when it got here to the rape prosecution statistics.
He mentioned: “Like all elements of public service, large selections had been made within the final decade, due to the place that all of us confronted economically and that is, I feel, self-evidently the case.”
Starmer: ‘On the prime minister’s watch… courtroom backlogs are at a report excessive’
The newest figures, for the tip of 2020, say there have been almost 57,00zero excellent instances on the Crown Court docket – which offers with probably the most critical instances, comparable to rape.
An excellent case is one that’s ongoing or ready to start out.
This determine of 57,00zero was a report within the information offered by the Ministry of Justice, going again to 2014, so Mr Starmer’s assertion is right in terms of these courts.
The pandemic accounts for a part of the rise in figures – the determine has gone up by almost half in a single 12 months.
However they’ve been rising for the reason that begin of 2019, having been falling steadily for 4 years earlier than that.
Decrease stage courts have seen an enchancment since a report excessive – for excellent instances – through the first lockdown.
Johnson: ‘He [Starmer] bought his get together to vote towards more durable sentences for critical sexual and violent offenders’
It is right that Labour voted towards the Police, Crime and Sentencing Invoice in March (which incorporates proposals to increase present limits on the early launch of rape and sure violent offenders).
The get together mentioned the proposals on sentencing would “confuse the system and make the duty of members of the judiciary much more troublesome”. Nonetheless, it has mentioned it’s in favour of bringing in harsher sentencing for “offenders who’ve dedicated a particular sexual or violent offence”.
It has opposed different measures within the 300-page laws. Shadow Residence Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds criticised measures regarding protests. He mentioned the invoice “expands the situations that may be imposed on protests”, warning that it will “do nice harm to our democracy”.
Johnson: “One other factor we’re doing… is recruiting report numbers of law enforcement officials”
The newest figures for England and Wales present that between September 2019 and September 2020 there was a rise of seven,683 officers (full-time equal), which took the full to 132,467.
The Residence Workplace mentioned that this 6.2% enhance was the most important September to September rise since comparable information started in 2003 – so the assertion is right.
However that also leaves the variety of officers beneath the extent from September 2010 when there have been 142,363 officers.
