CROWN OFFICE AND PROCURATOR FISCAL SERVICE
NEWS RELEASE
18 November 2008
LORD ADVOCATE PUBLISHES GUIDANCE TO THE POLICE ON THE INVESTIGATION OF SEXUAL OFFENCES
The Lord Advocate, the Rt Hon Elish Angiolini QC, today published guidelines to Chief Constables in Scotland on the Investigation and Reporting of Sexual Offences.
The guidelines, which were developed in consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS), provide Police Forces across Scotland with clarity on standards and best practice in this sensitive and difficult area of crime. It is emphasised in the guidance that police officers are required to work closely with Procurators Fiscal from the very outset of rape investigations.
Mrs Angiolini said:
"With this guidance we are now taking working practices between the police and the prosecution in this area to a new level. Rape is one of the most serious and distressing crimes we face as a society. When victims have the courage to report a rape, they must have absolute confidence that the investigation will be thorough, professional and sensitive from the outset.
"That is why, with this guidance to the police, we will now see an approach to rape investigation which is, from the outset, much closer in form to the approach which is taken in investigating a homicide. Victims can now have increased confidence that police and prosecutors will be taking a forensic approach to gathering all available evidence, and analysing strengths and weaknesses in the case, in order to bring a compelling prosecution before the Court, wherever that is possible.
"Since the publication of the Sexual Offences Review, prosecutors have been making improvements to every aspect of the investigation and prosecution of rape and other sexual offences. With this guidance, we are now in the final stage of implementation, working seamlessly with the police to provide the best possible response for victims, and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice."
Deputy Chief Constable Bill Skelly, for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) said:
"ACPOS welcomes the introduction of the Lord Advocate's Guidelines, which provide investigating officers with a set of broad principles, designed to ensure that the police investigation is thorough, professional and is of the highest standard. Ultimately, this is a benchmark we should aspire to during each and every investigation. This is particularly significant given the lasting and deep-rooted emotional and psychological impact which a sexual offence can have on a victim.
"Early and productive consultation with the Procurator Fiscal during the development of the investigation and the establishment of a protocol to ensure that the victim is provided with accurate information about the progress of the investigation are examples of areas in which the police can make significant improvements to our response to sexual crime.
"We acknowledge the value of appropriate and adequate training for officers in this difficult area of policing and we are in the process of developing training and guidance to a national standard to ensure that not only are we meeting the requirements of the Guidelines but that we are providing victims with a quality service.
"Considerable progress has been made in recent times in this area as a result of collaborative work between partner agencies. The publication of Lord Advocate's Guidelines is an important element of the undertaking to review and reform the investigation and prosecution of rape and sexual crime and ACPOS is committed to working with its partners to continue this piece of work."
Notes to Editors:
1. DCC Bill Skelly, of Lothian and Borders Police, is the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) lead on Family Protection issues, including Sexual Assault.
2. The Sexual Offences Review was instructed by the Lord Advocate, when she was Solicitor General, and was published in 2006. It made 50 recommendations, all of which are due to be implemented by Summer 2009. So far, over 40 recommendations have been implemented.
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