To summarise the vast majority of the emails, outcome 21 was the solution (College of Policing Briefing note for police action in response to youth produced sexual imagery (sexting) (attached). 

The general feeling was that the recording of the crime helps demonstrate the fact that children are being  groomed to commit crimes and as an organisation the police should be monitoring the scale of the problem. Recording the crimes helps to do this and will help protect children in the long run. 

Outcome 21 was created to ensure that no child ‘suspect’ is adversely affected by DBS checks when they become adults.

 

Additionally, the following parliamentary question was supplied by one of our police network members;

Question;

Asked on: 21 February 2017

Home Office

Sexting: Young People

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of reports that young people are receiving criminal records for sending indecent images without having been charged with an offence.

Answer;

Answered by: Brandon Lewis

Answered on: 24 February 2017

A criminal record for the offence of sending an indecent image will only result where the offender, child or adult, is charged to court (and found guilty) or cautioned by the police. Where the police resolve such cases by other means no criminal record is established.

The Government is clear that where a crime has been committed it should be recorded as such. This is critical to understand the extent of this issue, to identify any pattern of repeat or high-risk behaviour, and providing transparency and accountability.

However, the police have wide discretion as to how to address such behaviour. Working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Department for Education new guidance has been issued to police and schools in relation to children sending indecent images and which has a focus on safeguarding. We have introduced a new outcome for police to apply in cases where they consider it appropriate to undertake no criminal investigation and which will highlight that any subsequent disclosure should only be in the most exceptional cases.

 

Question;

Asked on: 21 February 2017

Home Office

Sexting: Young People

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will reconsider the requirement to record as a crime the sending of indecent images by young people while not charging them formally.

Answer;

Answered by: Brandon Lewis

Answered on: 24 February 2017

A criminal record for the offence of sending an indecent image will only result where the offender, child or adult, is charged to court (and found guilty) or cautioned by the police. Where the police resolve such cases by other means no criminal record is established.

The Government is clear that where a crime has been committed it should be recorded as such. This is critical to understand the extent of this issue, to identify any pattern of repeat or high-risk behaviour, and providing transparency and accountability.

However, the police have wide discretion as to how to address such behaviour. Working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Department for Education new guidance has been issued to police and schools in relation to children sending indecent images and which has a focus on safeguarding. We have introduced a new outcome for police to apply in cases where they consider it appropriate to undertake no criminal investigation and which will highlight that any subsequent disclosure should only be in the most exceptional cases.

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Hope this provides some food for thought!