In 2024, after Labour came to power with a promise to half VAWG, the FDA surveyed its members in the CPS – including hundreds of RASSO prosecutors – to identify the administrative challenges they face when securing justice as well as what can be done to help remove these barriers.
The survey of CPS prosecutors revealed:
Our subsequent report, which explored our members’ insights into the role of the CPS in increasing RASSO prosecutions, called for a number of changes reflected in this latest government announcement. These included specialist RASSO courts to improve timeliness and support for victims, more effective guidance for juries and judges, and ensuring RASSO trails are never placed on “floating” lists.
The report also called for increased funding and resources for the CPS, recognising their role in increasing the prosecutions of these offences, which the FDA has continued to campaign for since the publication of the report.
Responding to these government announcements, FDA General Secretary Dave Penman said he was “pleased to see vital action being taken to address these terrible crimes.
“These changes are welcome, but the government must ensure that the entire criminal justice system receives additional and sustained funding to improve outcomes for victims. This includes a full commitment to funding the National Operating Model and Operation Soteria and producing a workforce strategy for the CPS, with a long-term strategy to recruit high-quality criminal lawyers”.
Tom Nathan speaks to Crown Prosecution Service Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson about CPS’s handling of riots, the importance of impartiality and his plan to help reduce unmanageable prosecutor caseloads.
Tom Nathan on the FDA’s report into the financial and administrative challenges present in the justice system, its advice for the new government on increasing prosecutions of Rape and Serious Sexual Offences, and next steps to ensure the union’s message is heard.
The FDA has welcomed that the CPS will be receiving additional resources. The announcement follows the recent publication of the FDA’s report examining the CPS’s role in increasing RASSO prosecutions.
