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Unpublished letter to the
Guardian Dear Editor Like last month’s report on rape prosecutions, the annual report on the Crown Prosecution Service the report exposes a disastrous process from reporting through to trial (Wave of trial failures alarms victims, 4 May). No wonder only 7% of rapists are convicted, an even lower proportion than for other crimes. The police do not gather the evidence properly, and rather than insist it is gathered, the CPS drops the prosecution "prematurely". In case after case we have to write to the police and CPS to point out witnesses they should have interviewed and other evidence they have neglected to stop the cases being dropped. Neither police nor CPS seem to have any interest in gathering it unless they’re forced to. In the few cases that reach court, the evidence hasn’t been prepared properly, and is generally presented with incompetence, and even hostility towards the victim of rape – their key witness. Not surprisingly few prosecutors object when the defence fishes into her sexual history. Yet the rape report’s main recommendation - to train one specialist prosecutors for each CPS branch – won’t make more cases come to court nor ensure the right evidence is gathered and competently presented. If ignorant, sexist or racist prosecutors were sacked, that would be the best training for their colleagues. The latest tactic seems to be to refer cases we’re dealing with to "the Gold Group" – which we were informed is for cases in which they don’t wish to offend. Victims who complain can thus be told in a more sensitive and tactful way, why the man who attacked them can’t be prosecuted. Dyer quotes Victim Support saying they are worried about the impression all this gives the public. Like them, the police are concerned not to "create an impression of a shambles". But impressions are not good enough; it’s time the actual shambles is dealt with.
Lisa Longstaff |