UK cops to reveal more about unsolved crime

(CNS): British police services will be giving more information about why crimes are not solved in future as changes to the way offences are recorded and reported come into effect next April. According to reports in the UK media police in England and Wales aim to give the public a clearer idea about why crimes are not solved. Currently police can record cases as resulting in a charge, a caution or as undetected. About 70% are recorded as undetected. But Instead of labelling all crimes where there is no conviction as "undetected" that will be replaced by a series of new categories such as "prosecution prevented” is a suspect is too ill to stand trial.

Other new categories replacing undetected will include: "Community resolution" for when a suspect is dealt with without prosecution, such as when stolen items are given back. "Evidential difficulties" for when witnesses are unwilling or unable to give evidence "Prosecution not in the public interest".

Government officials said it will discourage forces from claiming offences have been cleared up when they have not.

Police will also be able to mark an investigation as complete – unless further evidence emerges.
Irene Curtis, president of the Police Superintendents' Association in England and Wales, said the changes would help to make it clearer to the public how the police worked.
"It might seem to some like excuses but it's really important that the public recognise that quite often it's actually outside the police's control as to whether a prosecution takes place," she said.