In October 2020, the BBC Shared Data Unit reported police had wrongly cancelled records of serious crimes, in many cases without informing victims, analysis of official reports shows.
We examined the most recent crime data integrity inspection reports from HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire Rescue Services (HMICFRS), which detailed how officers incorrectly cancelled reports of rape, sexual offences, violence and robbery.
Charity Rape Crisis said the findings were "completely unacceptable".
The Home Office said forces received "clear guidance" on cancelling crimes.
The data and background methodology released to partners is available here:
- Home Office
- National Police Chiefs’ Council
- Think tank the Police Foundation
- The charity Rape Crisis
- Warwickshire Police
- Cheshire Constabulary
- Hampshire Constabulary
- Gloucestershire Constabulary
The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to the wider news industry as part of the BBC Local News Partnership. Stories written by partners based on this research included:
- Yorkshire Post: Police in Yorkshire failed rape and sexual assault victims after incorrectly writing off their reports, figures reveal 23 October 2020
- Isle of Wight County Press: Hampshire Constabulary's incorrect cancellation of sex offences is worst in country 23 October 2020
- Southern Daily Echo: Hampshire Police slammed for 'cancelled crimes' 23 October 2020
- Northamptonshire Telegraph: One in 10 sexual assaults and violent offences wrongly dropped by Northamptonshire Police, says watchdog 23 October 2020
- Romsey Advertiser: Hampshire Police slammed for cancelling investigations 23 October 2020
- Suffolk News: Police in Suffolk wrongly cancelled crime records for sex offences, violence and robbery, according to inspectors' report 23 October 2020
- Hampshire Live: Hampshire police wrongly cancelled half of sexual offence investigations 23 October 2020
- The Northern Echo: North-East police forces wrongly cancelled reports of sexual and violent offences 23 October 2020
- Hemel Today: Hertfordshire Police wrongly cancelled reports of sexual and violent offences 23 October 2020
- Hampshire Chronicle: Hampshire Police slammed for cancelling investigations 23 October 2020
- Basingstoke Gazette: Hampshire Police slammed for cancelling investigations 23 October 2020
- South Wales Argus: Gwent Police on cancelled crime reports 25 October 2020
- Manchester Evening News: Greater Manchester Police have wrongly written off crime records - including sex offences and robberies 26 October 2020
- Lancashire Telegraph: Police forces slammed for wrongly cancelling crime reports and not telling victims 27 October 2020
- Bolton News: Police forces slammed over cancelled crime reports 27 October 2020
- Gloucestershire Gazette: Gloucestershire Police wrongly cancelled crime reports 27 October 2020
- Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Standard: Gloucestershire Police wrongly cancelled crime reports 27 October 2020
The story was also used by BBC Radio Leicester, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, BBC Radio Shropshire, BBC Radio Sussex, Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire) BBC Radio Humberside and BBC Three Counties Radio.
- The Telegraph: Rape and violence reports wrongly cancelled by police in up to half of cases, study reveals 23 October 2020