Update on Serious Sexual Crime - Essex Police

Meeting: Performance Committee
Date: 31 May 2011
UPDATE ON SERIOUS SEXUAL CRIME
Report of the Chief Constable
Contact: D/Supt Tracy Hawkings
1.0 Purpose of Report
EPA/98/11
AGENDA ITEM 7
The purpose of this report is to update members on the programme to
improve the force response and management of Serious Sexual Crime
(SSC). The Serious Sexual Crime Improvement Plan has been updated
and is included as an appendix to the report.
2.0 Recommendation
It is recommended that members note the report.
Chief Constable
Jim Barker-McCardle
Essex Police
Page 1 of 6

3.0 Background
T/Chief Inspector Denise Morrissey presented a Serious Sexual Crime (SSC)
report to the Police Authority on 28 th February 2011. The purpose of this report
is to provide an update to the Police Authority on the progress of the programme
of work for Serious Sexual Crime and Rape. This programme is now led by
Detective Superintendent Tracy Hawkings and T/Chief Inspector Denise
Morrissey.
4.0 Force Performance
150
140
130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
Apr
May
Key for charts:
Force: Serious Sexual Crime Offences
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Apr11 - Mar12
Average of last 3 years
Target 11 - 12
Apr10 - Mar11
Page 2 of 6
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar

40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Force: Serious Sexual Sanction Detection Rate (Percentage)
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Key for charts:
Average of last 3 years
Apr10-Mar11
By 31 st March 2011 the force recorded 16.81% sanctioned detection rate for
SSC. The target is 27%. 1079 offences were recorded against a target of 876
by the end of March 2011.
Essex Police’s year to date sanctioned detection rate (SDR) for rape was
17.6%. 449 rape offences were reported to police by the end of March 2011
and 79 offences had been detected.
CPS and Police Performance - Q4 2010/2011 (January to March 2011)
Attrition (cases
charged that did
not end in
conviction)
Target: 39%
Conviction after
contest
Essex Eastern Region National
(Essex, Suffolk,
Cambs
Norfolk)
and
34.9% 31.6% 41.1%
52.5% 55.4% 50.4%
Essex is the sixth best performing area (out of 41 areas) and the Eastern region
is the best performing region.
5.0 Investigative Development
A Serious Sexual Crime Action Plan is being developed by the Rape and
Serious Sexual Crime working group, which is chaired by Mrs Harrison
and meets bi-monthly.
Page 3 of 6

A SSC Delivery Plan has been created. The objective of the plan is to increase
the number of detections for serious sexual crimes by 21%.
The Essex Police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Rape Steering Group
consists of Essex Police, the CPS, Third Sector, including Victim Support, Rape
Crisis and Witness Care.
Background to the Essex Police and CPS Rape Steering Group
The group arises out of the ACPO/CPS visit in 2009 where it was recommended
that multi-agency links are improved. The intention is to meet twice a year, or as
necessary.
Aims:
1. To develop a joined up approach for dealing with rape
complainants/victims/clients.
2. To improve contact between agencies.
3. To identify a Specific Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for each
organisation.
4. To make the victim experience as ‘positive’ and palliative as possible.
5. Provide feedback to the police and the CPS.
6. Address any other issues.
7. Provide an update on performance.
8. To discuss general issues rather than specific cases.
Continuous Professional Development Days for Sexual Offence Trained Officers
(SOTO) are scheduled twice yearly. The next is due to take place on 22 nd June.
The business case for establishing a designated Serious Sexual Crime
Investigation Team has been submitted to the Reform Programme Board.
6.0 Divisional Volume Crime Review
The Head of Volume Crime was keen to support Divisional Commanders by
providing a review capacity able to target areas of concern. Understanding the
reasons for recent increases in SSC has been a focus of effort.
It was decided to conduct an independent and detailed review of all SSC across
a division to build upon the previous research which had focussed upon force
wide data.
South Eastern Division has the highest sanction detection rate in the force for
SSC. However, similarly to other divisions, South Eastern has seen a significant
increase in reported SSC over the past year. To gain a detailed understanding
of the reasons for this increase, the Divisional Commander invited the Volume
Crime Review Team to conduct a detailed look at SSC reported during the
period 1 st April 2010 – 30 th November 2010. All other divisions will also be
reviewed and this is included on the SSC Delivery Plan.
Page 4 of 6

6.1 Southend Pilot
In Southend a new partnership, the Sexual Safety Awareness Group, has been
set up to deliver a consistent message to young people regarding sexual safety.
The agreed aims of the group include promoting sensible choices, delivering
supportive services and responsible reporting. Supportive services include a
referral into teenage pregnancy counsellors for teenagers who are engaging in,
or considering engaging in, sexual activity, and other youth counselling services
depending on the issues involved. Responsible reporting is about encouraging
young people to report acts of sexual violence against them whilst at the same
time explaining the consequences of making false reports to police and other
services. A programme of six lessons to be delivered over consecutive weeks is
being developed along with a structured process of referral. It will be delivered
to 13 and 14 years olds (Year 9) by teachers, local schools officers and other
skilled professionals and is initially intended for a pilot in four schools. A joint
media promotion of the service is being planned. Delivery will commence in the
coming months.
Aim:
To protect young people in Southend from sexual harm through education,
victim care and support services.
Objectives:
1. To support young people in making safe and informed choices around
sexual behaviour and social activity.
2. To provide a supportive framework, including referral, for young people
who are at risk of harm through sexual activity.
3. To encourage responsible reporting of sexual crime.
4. To develop the local children’s workforces understanding of the
investigation of sexual crime.
5. To provide information to parents on sexual behaviour in young people -
what to look out for and how to support.
5.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, the force’s performance in detecting SSC and rape has been
identified as requiring improvement. The Force Delivery Plan and the Rape and
SSC Action Plan will be driving this forward over the next year. This will include
district level targets.
However, it is important to note that we have seen an improvement in our
performance at Crown Court during the last quarter, January – March 2011.
Essex is the sixth best performing area (out of 41 areas) and the Eastern region
is the best performing region when it comes to convictions for rape investigation.
Convictions after contest were 52.5% for Essex and the national average was
50.4%.
Page 5 of 6

The SARC has now been open since February 2011 and to date we have not
witnessed any significant increases in reports of rape or SSC. Feedback about
the SARC, received from victims and Sexual Offence Trained Officers, has been
very positive.
SSC and rape is being monitored closely by force rape leads D/Superintendent
Hawkings and T/Chief Inspector Denise Morrissey, to ensure that we progress
the programme of work and continue to improve services to victims and
investigative skills.
Page 6 of 6

Reference
WORK STREAM Contact Lead Target Date Status
RECOMMENDATION PROGRESS
Contact Lead U Rec'd C/Date
1.0 The development of a single SSC
performance pack for divisions, this will
combine the various data sets produced by a
number of departments and provide a single
comprehensive tool for informing progress
against the programme of work.
2.0 The restructure of the force’s mainstream
criminal investigation departments (at BCU
level) is progressed as agreed by Chief
Officers. This has the potential to enable a
level of expertise in the field of investigating
SSC to develop across the force.
3.0 That Chief Officers support the creation of a
serious crime review function within the
Volume Crime portfolio. This function should
include the development of investigative
quality benchmarking.
4.0 Creation of a regular performance review
process with Divisional Crime Managers to act
as a critical friend and encourage the spread
of best practice for the investigation of SSC.
5.0 It is recommended that the Head of Volume
Crime assumes the chair of the force Rape
Investigation Working Group (RIWG) in order
to continue the valuable work of this group.
Serious Sexual Crime Improvement Plan
There have been a number of reviews and inspections completed over the past year or
so around the subject of SSC. Crime Division have led a comprehensive programme to
improve SSC investigation. The force should consider what elements of this detailed
programme should be continued. The contents of the performance pack for districts
has been agreed, the pack is being developed by volume crime and force performance.
The Head of Volume Crime meets with Crime Managers to review SSC performance
indicators regularly. <strong>Update</strong> May 2011 - This work is ongoing. In addition,
performance is discussed at each RIWG Meeting (now renamed as the Rape and
Serious Sexual Crime Investigation Group). A performance package is produced
at the meeting and good practice is shared.
D/Supt Tracy Hawkings, in her capacity as Force Lead on Rape, has reviewed the
performance of other forces . It is clear to see that the best performing forces tend to
be those who invest in developing a specialist SSC investigative capacity. The new
CID structure was agreed and implemented in November 2010. The doctrine for the
new CID teams and Serious Crime Teams has been agreed with Divisional
Commanders. The new Serious Crime teams have ownership of all SSC. <strong>Update</strong> May
2011 - A business case has been considered and approved at COMG for the
formation of a sexual offence investigation team to be set up as part of the force
Reform programme. The team will be responsible for the investigation of rapes
and other serious sexual crime.
Following a series of review meetings with Crime Managers it was clear that the
influence of the Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT) had provided valuable support to
divisional teams in improving investigation quality. A business case for the creation of
a serious crime review team has been developed and is with Chief Officers for review
and approval. The Head of Volume Crime has identified resources for the new team.
The team have assisted with a detailed review of SE Division.
The head of volume crime meets with divisional DCIs once a quarter to discuss their
progress in SSC to identify blockers to performance and share best practice.
As the force (working closely with partners) prepares to open the first SARC in Essex
the role of the RIWG is increasing in profile. The RIWG has a comprehensive
programme of work. A paper has been prepared for Chief Officers and is with ACC
Harrison to consider whether changes should be made to the lead of the RIWG.
<strong>Update</strong> May 2011 - ACC Harrison remains as Chair and Det Supt Hawkings will
retain responsibility as the force lead for Rape and SSC.
Martin
Gormley
Ewen
Wilson
Ewen Wilson Ewen
Wilson
Denise
Morrissey
Divisional
DCIs
Tracy
Hawkins
Ewen
Wilson
Ewen
Wilson
Ewen
Wilson
29/02/2011 In Progress
31/03/2011 In Progress
30/04/2011 In Progress
31/12/2010 Complete -
Business as
usual
30/04/2011 In Progress

Reference
Serious Sexual Crime Improvement Plan
WORK STREAM Contact Lead Target Date Status
6.0 It is recommended that analytical support for
the Volume Crime portfolio is clarified. This
will ensure any programme is accurately
informed through NIM compliant analytical
products.
7.0 Chief Officers to support a change in force
procedure to ensure all categories of SSC
offences receive investigative scrutiny and
oversight by PIP accredited detectives.
8.0 Where the force considers supporting future
high profile public awareness campaigns
appropriate performance measures should be
in place to properly gauge impact and create
organisational memory of the associated
benefits and impacts.
9.0 Further investigation in to the impact of the
licensing trade upon SSC is commissioned.
Should a link be confirmed, this work should
aim to identify appropriate control measures.
10.0 To develop a delivery plan with an
objective of increasing the number of
sanctioned detections for serious sexual
crime by 21%.
Clearly, negotiation with the Serious Crime Directorate who has line management
responsibility for the intelligence function will be required. This is being progressed
within the force Reform Programme.
This recommendation is being progressed within the force Reform Programme. This
has been accepted by Divisional Commanders, the CID doctrine has been revised and
disseminated.
It seems that the public awareness campaign led by HQ Media Department could well
have led to a substantial increase in reported cases. However, there does not seem to
have been a detailed performance analysis process in place that can properly assess
the impact of the campaign. It is therefore difficult to quantify cause and effect and
assess what best practice arises. Contact has been made with HQ Media and the
Volume Crime Department through the RIWG will develop a comprehensive
performance aspect to any media strategy developing around particular initiatives.
The recommendation forms part of the Night Time Economy development planning
which started in January 2011.
The delivery plan has been written and agreed by ACC Harrison and will be
reviewed at the Rape and Serious Sexual Crime Investigation Group meetings.
The proposed increase equates to 50 additional sanctioned detections.
Ewen Wilson Ewen
Wilson
Ewen Wilson Ewen
Wilson
Claire Ziwa Ewen
Wilson
Matt Bell Ewen
Wilson
Tracy
Hawkings
Tracy
Hawkings
30/04/2011 In Progress
Ongoing In Progress
31/03/2012 In Progress