Investigating sexual crime and Operation Soteria – transforming the way rape and serious sexual assault is investigated and prosecuted in England and Wales

Operation Soteria CPD training – 6 December 2023

 

• Led by Dr Patrick Tidmarsh, a member of the Operation Soteria team developing Learning and Development, for improving the investigation of rape and sexual offences across England and Wales.

 

• Patrick is an internationally recognised authority in understanding and responding to sexual offending, and lectures and trains law enforcement across the world. He spent 20 years working in sex offender treatment programmes, gaining an understanding of offender behaviour, which understanding forms the basis of the Whole Story approach to investigating sexual crime, now part of the National Operating Model introduced by Operation Soteria.

 

 

Victim-Centred – Suspect-Focused – Context-Led

 

This workshop will focus on key elements of effective sexual crime investigation, including: Understanding offenders and grooming, eliciting relevant evidence, Whole Story investigations, and critical communication skills. It will highlight effective approaches to sexual crime investigation, and take participants through the “Investigators’ Journey”, a guide to the new National Operating Model (NOM).

 

Participants will be guided through the Learning and Development products and processes that are currently available, including: the online course for investigators new to RASSO (RISDP), the new online First Responders course, as well as how to access the NOM best practice guides.

 

The day will cover key elements of the new Learning and Development processes, including audio-visual and practical examples, focusing on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Skills required to be an effective sexual crime investigator.

 

This workshop will also outline the key aspects of Operation Soteria, its findings and recommendations, and the transformative new approach to rape and serious sexual assault investigations and prosecutions set out in the NOM. The result is a process that improves support for victims, and their unique experience, before putting the investigative focus on suspects.

 

Operation Soteria is unique in that it brings together forces, prosecutors, and academics, to use evidence and insight to change the way rape and sexual offences are dealt with. The Home Office funded project was piloted in 5 forces, and has now been rolled out across all 43 police forces, in England and Wales.

 

Who should attend?

This workshop is aimed at investigators and analysts working in non-specialist roles in major crime. It is designed to provide those working in an operational role with an introduction to the investigation of sexual crime, and a sound working knowledge of Operation Soteria and the National Operating Model.

 

Outline of the day

• The challenges of investigating sexual offending - understanding sexual offenders and the dynamics of sexually abusive ‘relationships’.

• Understanding relevant evidence in RASSO – Whole Story investigations.

• A look at how suspect-focused and victim-centred approaches can bring about culture changes in rape investigations and prosecutions.

• The new National Operating Model and the ‘Investigators’ Journey’

• How the NOM will be used, with predicted impacts on investigations and prosecutions.

• An overview of Operation Soteria, its origins and the research that led to its inception.

• Practical steps and advice for investigators on how they can implement Soteria in their investigations and how it will impact their work.

 

Learning objectives

The aim of our workshop is to ensure that all investigators and analysts who are working in a non-specialist role are provided with an insight into the key concepts behind Operation Soteria.

 

Delegates will also be provided with practical advice on how to implement the principles of Operation Soteria into their investigations, with experiential examples of the proposed Learning and Development processes.

 

The day will be held online, via Teams. Certificates of CPD are available.

 

AGENDA - GMT

9.20am-9.30am: Welcome and introduction, The Investigator

 

9.30am-10.20am: Session One – The challenges of sexual crime investigations, and pathways to improvements.

 

10.20am-10.40am: Break

 

10.40am-11.20am: Session Two – Investigating RASSO – Understanding offenders/Whole Story/Grooming and relevant evidence/Communication skills.

 

11.20am-Noon: Session Three – Suspect-focused/Victim-centred/Context-led: a look at how suspect-focused and victim-centred approaches can bring about a culture change in rape investigations, prosecutions and convictions

 

Noon-12.30pm: Break

 

12.30pm-1.30pm: Session Three – The National Operating Model, the ‘Investigators’ Journey’- how it will be used in operational investigations and their predicted impact on investigations, prosecutions, and convictions.

 

1.30pm-1.40pm: Break

 

1.40pm-2.30pm: Session Four – Overview of Operation Soteria, its origins and the research that led to its inception, including results from the 19 trial forces and what we can learn from the results, including next steps, and advice for investigators on how they to implement Soteria in their investigations and how it will impact their work.

 

2.30pm-2.45pm: Questions and discussions

 

2.45pm: Workshop finishes

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HOW TO BOOK

Cost: £209.99 + VAT (GBP) per delegate (LEA and Government Agency rate).  £309.99 + VAT (Industry rate). 

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Booking: Please send the delegates name(s), email address(es) and purchase order (made out to The Investigator) to booking@the-investigator.co.uk or telephone +44(0)844 660 8707 for further information. 

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Payment can be made by Debit/credit card. The meeting link will be sent out 7 days before the event.