News In Focus
5 February 2007
Call for specialist rape prosecutors
The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) has called for specialist rape prosecutors to be developed in Scotland in order to improve conviction rates.
ACPOS's sex offenders working group, headed by Ian MacLeod, the Tayside Constabulary assistant chief constable, points to experience in the USA where the use of experts in investigating and presenting cases is claimed as a factor in the 80% conviction rate in cases brought there.
In Scotland no proceedings are taken in 80% of cases reported to the prosecution service, due to insufficient evidence, and of those brought to court, only 26% result in conviction.
The Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS) also lent its support to the call, saying the 4% conviction rate was an ambarrassment and that specialists were needed to improve justice for rape victims.
A review instructed by the then Solicitor General Elish Angiolini, now Lord Advocate, published in June last year, recommended a number of measures to improve the success rate in Scotland, including development of comprehensive training and guidance for prosecutors, strengthening communication with victims, and better communications between the police and prosecutors from the outset to assist evidence gathering.
The strict definition of rape in Scotland is a further difficulty for the Crown in Scotland. A report by the Scottish Law Commission into the law relating to sexual crimes is awaited.