PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Prosecutions (10 July 2014)

To ask the Attorney General, how many Crown Prosecution Service (a) pre-charge decisions, (b) decisions to take no further action, (c) decisions to caution and (d) prosecutions there were in cases of (i) rape, (ii) domestic violence and (iii) child abuse in each police force area in each of the last six years; and what the conviction rate for each such offence in each such area was in that period.

Asked by:
Emily Thornberry (Labour)

Tables containing the information requested have been placed in the Library of the House.

The volumes of pre-charge decisions, prosecutions and convictions rose in 2013-14 from the previous year, across rape, domestic violence and child abuse. The Crown Prosecution Service has worked with the police to address the previous fall in volumes which they identified in 2012-13; succeeding in an overall turnaround during 2013-14.

The conviction rates for domestic violence and child abuse have risen to 74.6% and 76.2% respectively in 2013-14.

In parallel, cautions fell to the lowest level ever for rape and domestic violence in the same time period; and decisions to take no further action also reached the lowest level ever for rape and child abuse.

For rape, the volume of pre-charge decisions rose by 8% compared with the previous year, reaching 5,850. Decisions to take no further action fell to the lowest level ever - by 15% as compared with a rise in the volume charged of 25%, reaching the highest volume ever of 3,621 defendants. Prosecutions rose by 5% to 3,891and the volume convicted has risen by 0.6%, reaching 2,348.

The Director of Public Prosecutions addresses the regional variation across police force Areas through the bi-annual Violence against Women and Girls Assurance scheme, highlighting where specific actions are detailed and targeted for improvement.

Answered by:
Sir Robert Buckland (Conservative)
22 July 2014