Public consultation on crimes against older people policy guidance
We are publishing revised policy guidance on crimes against older people which comprehensively sets out how we approach these crimes.
We are publishing this guidance because we want complainants and witnesses and their families and communities, as well as the general public, to be confident that we understand the serious nature of these crimes.
This policy guidance has been developed with input from National Scrutiny Panels, which consists of members with experience and expertise from a community and academic perspective.
Outcomes
The purpose of the consultation was to provide interested persons with an opportunity to provide comments and to ensure the final version of the policies were informed by as wide a range of views as possible. Following the consultation, we issued new policy guidance (which outlines the CPS' general approach to dealing with CAOP) and prosecution guidance (which outlines specifically how prosecutors should deal with CAOP). You can find these below.
- Revised Policy Guidance on the prosecution of crimes against older people
- Revised Prosecution Guidance on prosecuting crimes against older people
The Consultation on Crimes Against Older People Policy Guidance - Summary of Responses has also been published and is available to read on this website.
Consultation content
You can read the policy guidance on crimes against older people on this website.
The policy guidance on crimes against older people:
- Explains the way that the CPS deals with and prosecutes crimes against older people;
- Explains what complainants and witnesses can expect from the CPS;
- Recognises that older people can be the victims of crime because they are targeted on the basis of age related vulnerability or perceived age related vulnerability or because of prejudice or ageism;
- Recognises that some older people may require support in order to report and support a prosecution and give their best evidence.
Questions for Consultation
- Does the section on ‘CPS Policy’ address the key issues in prosecuting crimes against older people and clearly explain the public interest factors to be taken into consideration by prosecutors?
- Does the section ‘Monitored crimes against older people’ clearly explain the types of cases the CPS wishes to flag and monitor? Do you think this flagging definition will capture the relevant cases? Is the age limit appropriate?
- Do the sections on ‘Offending behaviour’ and ‘Vulnerability of older victims’ reflect and address the types of crime older people can experience and the diversity of circumstances of older people?
- Does the policy guidance accurately reflect the barriers to justice older people can face as well as the support that can be put in place to mitigate this?
- Do you have any further comments on the CPS policy guidance on prosecuting crimes against older people?
How to Respond
It would be helpful if you could give your feedback using our online form (see below) for ease of analysis.
You can also download a response form, complete it, and return it to olderpeople.consultation@cps.gov.uk by midnight on Monday 29 October 2018. Please use the same form if you wish to submit a hard copy of your response to the postal address below.
If you are replying by email, we would be grateful if you would not attach any other documents to the consultation response form document. There are limits on the size of documents that we are able to accept and any completed response form document which has an attachment runs the risk of not being delivered. If you wish to send an attachment to us, or raise any queries that you have on the consultation, these can be submitted separately to the same email address shown above.
We would prefer electronic submissions if possible, but if you would rather submit your feedback in hard copy, it can be returned by the same date to:
Alison Plant
Crimes against Older People Consultation
Crown Prosecution Service
9th Floor, Red Core
102 Petty France
LONDON SW1H 9EA
Please include your name, organisation (if applicable), postal address, telephone number and email address in any response.
Dogfennau yn Gymraeg/Documents in Welsh
Canllawiau polisi ar erlyn troseddau yn erbyn pobl hŷn - testun arfaethedig gyda chwestiynau (dogfen PDF, oddeutu 26kb)
Templed ar gyfer ymgynghori ar y canllawiau polisi ar erlyn troseddau yn erbyn pobl hŷn (Dogfen Word) - lawrlwythwch, ei llenwi a'i hanfon at: olderpeople.consultation@cps.gov.uk erbyn hanner nos ar ddydd Llun 29 Hydref 2018.
Alternative Formats
If you require a copy of the consultation papers in any other format, for example, audio or large print, please contact the e-mail or postal addresses above.
Next Steps
After the consultation closing date, we will consider every individual response received. A summary of the consultation responses will be published on the CPS website in accordance with the Government's guidelines.
We look forward to receiving your response.