"Significant progress" is being made in how the criminal justice system responds to cases of rape, the Government said, despite a rising backlog in cases and longer waits for justice. The pledge to more than double the number of cases reaching court by the end of this parliament is "within reach", according to a review into progress made since the summer 2021 rape review.
According to the Government report, there have been increases in police referrals, charges, convictions and cases reaching court, while the average number of days between a police referral and a suspect being charged has fallen. These put the Government "on track" to meet its target to more than double the number of adult rape cases reaching court by the end of this parliament, the report says.
However, the progress report acknowledges that the time it takes for a case to reach court has "worsened", while the number of outstanding cases has risen, with the Criminal Bar Association strike cited as a factor. A joint foreword, by Justice Secretary Dominic Raab and victims and sentencing minister Ed Argar reads: "A year and a half on, there is cause for cautious optimism. We are making steady, incremental progress."
