Violence against Women and Girls Crime report contents

In March 2016, a consent master class was delivered via a webinar by the Director’s Legal
Advisor to specialist prosecutors and advocates, which further addressed consent issues in
relation to common rape scenarios, including grooming in child sexual abuse cases.
Further refresher training has been developed for delivery during 2016 to ensure that cases
are evidentially robust and therefore more likely to succeed at trial. The training includes the
application of the Code for Crown Prosecutors, reinforcing the importance of taking an
offender centric approach to the investigation, prosecution and case building in rape cases. It
also includes a module on gang related sexual exploitation and violence.
The CPS has also developed additional support for external advocates through access to CPS
e-learning and training material. The content available to advocates will be extended over
time and will include rape training material.
The CPS is already developing additional resources to support our specialist prosecutors for delivery
during 2016, which will include:
Updated legal guidance.
A ‘knowledge hub’ on the internal CPS Intranet site, to provide a better vehicle for
prosecutors to share casework examples and to provide them with additional reference
material to assist in case building.
Updated e-learning modules.
Updated induction training for Crown Advocates wishing to undertake RASSO advocacy.
Induction and refresher youth training is being developed for all RASSO specialists.
Training for advocates on the handling of vulnerable witnesses at court.
Continuous Improvement: Oversight and Accountability
Rape and Serious Sexual Offence Units (RASSO) Review:
An internal review of RASSO Units in all CPS Areas was carried out in 2014. The purpose of the review
was to consider the structure and resourcing of the units. It included the gatekeeping arrangements,
the process for submission and provision of early investigative advice and charging decisions, in order
to achieve consistency in approach and implement best practice nationally.
Implementation of the review’s recommendations began in 2015 and continued throughout 2015-
2016, contributing to securing improvements in the performance of the RASSO units.
A new resource model was developed to ensure that the dedicated RASSO units were adequately
staffed to cope with the unprecedented and sustained rise in national casework volumes and
increasingly complex casework. This led to a national campaign to recruit additional prosecutors. 102
prosecutors and legal managers were recruited (83 of which were prosecutors) and 24 paralegal
staff 110 . These are now either in post or awaiting pre-employment checks to be completed.
110 In some Areas, existing staff were moved in to RASSO roles and people were recruited to replace them.
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