People proceeded against and annual data for sexual offences from January 2016 to March 2023
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.029212
I note you seek access to the following information:
1. I would like the annual data for individuals recorded on the custody record (NSPIS system) that have been arrested by the Met for sexual offences since 1 January 2016. For each year I would like the data to be broken down by the type of sexual offence that they have been arrested for and profession of the person that has been arrested.
2 – I would like the annual data for individuals recorded on the CRIS crime reporting system that have been arrested by the Met for sexual offences since 1 January 2016. For each year I would like the data to be broken down by the type of sexual offence that they have been arrested for and profession of the person that has been arrested.
I would like all of the data to be as up-to-date as possible.
Clarification -
OK - as suggested - change the second part of the request to:
2 – I would like the annual data for individuals recorded on the CRIS crime reporting system that have been proceeded against for sexual offences since 1 January 2016. For each year I would like the data to be broken down by the type of sexual offence that they have been arrested for and profession of the person that has been arrested.
Clarification -
I just talked to some colleagues... and they said that arrests are actually recorded on the CRIS database and that the information you provided me with doesn't make sense.
So, as things stand, I would like to stick with the original FOI.
If someone wants to talk to me about this on the phone that would make sense.
It is unclear what you mean by "proceeded against"... if that means charged... then that would not be good data for me because the Met charges less than one per cent of rape cases...
Where is arrest data recorded if it isn't CRIS?
If we could resolve all of this as soon as possible I would be grateful.
Clarification -
You didn't say what you meant by "people proceeded against"... in your previous message... did it mean charged or arrested or what?
Decision
I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:
Section 40(2)(3)&(4) – Personal Information
Reason for decision
Before I explain the reasons for the decisions I have made in relation to your request, I thought that it would be helpful if I outline the parameters set out by the Act within which a request for information can be answered. The Act creates a statutory right of access to information held by public authorities. A public authority in receipt of a request must, if permitted, confirm if the requested information is held by that public authority and, if so, then communicate that information to the applicant.
The right of access to information is not without exception and is subject to a number of exemptions which are designed to enable public authorities to withhold information that is not suitable for release. Importantly, the Act is designed to place information into the public domain, that is, once access to information is granted to one person under the Act, it is then considered public information and must be communicated to any individual should a request be received.
Details of an investigation could cause an individual to be identified and is therefore exempted in this case.
Section 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018 confirms that information which relates to an identified or identifiable living individual is Personal Data.
The Freedom of Information Act provides an exemption for Personal Data and this is known as the section 40 exemption.
Some of the information sought under your Freedom of Information request includes the following which we consider to be Personal Data
• Low numbers of offences arrests and people proceeded against that could, if disclosed, identify an individual.
Where the request is seeking access to third party personal data the section 40(2) exemption may be engaged.
In order to apply the Section 40(2) exemption the disclosure of the requested information must satisfy either the first, second or third conditions as defined by subsections 3A, 3B and 4A of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (as amended by Section 58 of the Data Protection Act 2018).
The first condition ensures that the exemption would apply in circumstances where the disclosure of the information would breach any of the Data Protection Act 2018 principles.
There are six Data Protection principles set out in the 2018 act and these can be found at section 34.
In this instance I have decided that the disclosure of the Personal Data would be incompatible with the first Data Protection principle which states that the processing (in this case the disclosure) of the data must be both lawful and fair.
Disclosure
The harm of disclosure is reduced by redacting of offences and arrests from the data
Please see attached spreadsheets titled att1 – and att2 in, pursuant to your request for information.
01.FOI.23.029212-People proceeded against and annual data for sexual offences from January 2016 to March 2023 - Report
Report 1 - Arrests for sexual offences by occupation 1 January 2016 - 31 March 2023.
• Low numbers of offences have been redacted to reduce the possibility of people being identified within the data, including self-identification.
Report 2 - Offence Title Count with occupation 1 January 2016 - 31 March 2023.
• Low numbers of offences have been redacted to reduce the possibility of people being identified within the data, including self-identification.
01.FOI.23.029212-People proceeded against and annual data for sexual offences from January 2016 to March 2023 - Final Request
PPA sheet
A count of People Proceeded against for Sexual Offences
Proceedings Type Entered Date between 01/01/2016 and 31/03/2023
By Type of Offence
• Low numbers of People proceeded against have been redacted to reduce the possibility of people being identified within the data, including self-identification.
Occupation sheet
A count of People Proceeded against for Sexual Offences
• Low numbers of People proceeded against have been redacted to reduce the possibility of people being identified within the data, including self-identification.