Everything taken into consideration : a study of the use of offences taken into consideration process within the Metropolitan Police Service

• Main Author: Grandani, Attilio
• Published: Cardiff University 2018
• Subjects: H Social Sciences (General)
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.768067

This thesis seeks to understand how and why police use 'Offences Taken Into Consideration' (TIC) processes as part of their crime management work. Informed by empirical data collected in the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), the study utilises a multi-method research design, to understand the organisation of TIC process and the variety of factors influencing the ways they are implemented and the outcomes they deliver in different areas of London. A key feature of the research is its use of focused comparative case studies of TIC work based upon in-depth qualitative fieldwork and interviews. The evidence and insight gleaned from these case studies are augmented and corroborated by the examination of material derived from the examination of official police case files. A key theme explored through exploration of the empirical data concerns the role and meaning of 'performance indicators'. Specifically, the analysis highlights how a range of organisational, subcultural and individual level factors interact to produce very different approaches to the use of TICs across different geographical areas. There are various interpretations applied to the TIC policy and procedures, which highlight the implications of such variant approaches. Theoretically, the evidence helps to shine a light on a neglected aspect of police practice and how crime detections are produced. The findings also have policy and practice implications, as the TIC policy wordings and processes may have been misinterpreted. As discussed in the thesis, potentially this could have led to miscarriages of justice or even breaches of the Human Rights Act (HRA) 1998.