Reflections on criminal (in)justice in cases of rape

There has in recent years been much discussion and concern with attrition in sexual offences cases and attempts to increase victim participation. None the less, many questions remain regarding the (in)justice faced by victims/survivors where cases are taken up by the criminal justice system, as well as what a more ‘victim focused approach’ might look like. The article examines these issues by a detailed analysis of the progression of 87 rape cases (from reporting to police to conviction) going through the criminal justice system in three separate police force areas across the North East of England. The article explores the need to consider the vulnerabilities of victims/survivors, the different trajectories involved in ‘acquaintance rape’, ‘intimate partner violence rape’ and ‘historical rape’, as well as the interplay between the CJS and other services, if we are to see victim focused criminal justice experiences and outcomes.