Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel Launches First Annual Report

23/07/2008

CPS West Yorkshire in partnership with their award winning Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel (HSCP) will formally launch the first annual report to be produced by the HCSP at an event in Leeds on 23 July.

Solicitor General, Vera Baird QC MP will publicly endorse the report at the event, along with speakers Neil Franklin OBE (Chief Crown Prosecutor) and Ebrahim Dockrat (Independent Chair and Facilitator of the Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel).

The Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel (originally the Race Crime Scrutiny Panel) was established in 2004 and was the first of its kind within the CPS. The Panel was established as part of the Area's approach to improving performance and management with regard to racist and religious crimes. In February 2007 the remit of the Panel increased to include homophobic, transphobic and disability hate crime cases.

Representatives of the 5 hate crime partnerships in West Yorkshire scrutinise CPS cases with a racial, religious, homophobic, transphobic and disability element to identify trends, strengths and weaknesses in the decision making process and management of cases. The pertinent learning points are then fed back to CPS lawyers, Police and relevant victim workers in order to improve future handling of hate crime cases.

The existence of the Panel has forged strong links both within the CJS and with the community. The work of the Panel compliments the work of the Police and reporting centres in encouraging the reporting of hate crime and greater involvement in the CJS, whether through appearing as a witness or becoming involved as a volunteer or staff member within one of the agencies.

Speaking of the Report, the Solicitor General, said:

"Hate crimes are devastating. They alienate and corrode communities, because they are in essence a denial of community.

"This pioneering report is incredibly important as it better equips prosecutors to deal with crimes of this nature; and highlights the need to continue to address the issues and identify best practices.

"The knowledge that hate criminals will face the full weight of the law will promote confidence and invigorate communities, allowing them to live together in security and strength."

Neil Franklin, Chief Crown Prosecutor said:

"The Panel has become an outstanding example of partnership between CPS and representatives of the communities we serve. During the four years of the existence of the Panel, the people of West Yorkshire have benefited from vastly improved results and a significant increase in the willingness of victims to come forward and complain to the police about the insidious and unacceptable crimes committed by individuals motivated by hate."

Ebrahim Dockrat said:

"The HCSP provides a mechanism that demonstrates openness and transparency, making the CPS more locally accountable for their decisions in relation to Hate Crime and equally provides a forum where the community can better understand the limitations under which the CPS operates.

"The Panel makes the CPS more visible to the community it serves which hopefully improves public confidence in the criminal justice system. The impact of our work over the last 2 years has markedly changed and improved the CPS outcomes on Hate Crime.

"The establishment of the HCSP has I believe been a landmark in CPS Community engagement work, which is now being replicated across the country by all CPS."

The HCSP Annual Report Launch event will take place:

From 11:00 13:30
On Wednesday 23 July

At Wheeler Hall
Leeds Cathedral Pastoral and Conference Centre
St Anne's Street
Leeds
LS2 8BE

If your press agency would like to attend the event, please contact the CPS West Yorkshire Communications Manager, Cheryl Ford on 0113 2902839 / 07919571742 / email cheryl.ford@cps.gsi.gov.uk.

The Panel and the Solicitor General will be available for photographs between 12:15 12:30 for press in attendance.

Ends

Notes to Editors

The prosecution of race hate crime cases has improved in the Area as a result of issues and trends being highlighted by the Panel.
The attrition rate (the percentage of cases that do not result in a guilty plea or a guilty verdict) in racially and religiously aggravated crime cases, has decreased significantly since the Panel has been in operation. The attrition rate was 21.60% during quarter 1 2005/6 and this fell to 13.89% during quarter 1 2007/8.
The number of these cases taken by the CPS has also increased from 490 in 2004-5, to 577 in 2005-6, to 625 in 2006-7 despite no increase in reported relevant crime, demonstrating the impact of the panel in increasing public, particularly BME, confidence.
The Panel won the Justice Award for Outstanding Commitment to Diversity in November 2007.
CASE STUDY In February 2008 a drunken thug from Beeston who "floored" a gay couple in a racially motivated attack in a taxi ranked was jailed for three years at Leeds Crown Court, after pleading guilty to racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm, racially aggravated assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and inflicting grievous bodily harm. The 28 year old turned on the two men after they intervened to stop him racially abusing an Asian taxi driver in Leeds city centre in the early hours of 1 June last year. He then launched a sustained attack which left both men with cuts and bruises and one with a broken finger which required surgery.