The Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland, Brendan McGuigan, has raised concerns over the lack of progress made in how criminal justice agencies handle incidents of domestic violence and abuse.
He believes that strategic focus is required at both senior and District level within the police service to move things forward.
Reflecting on the 10% increase in the number of domestic abuse cases being recorded by police since 2009-10, Mr McGuigan said it was encouraging that more people were coming forward and reporting instances of domestic violence and abuse.
"This positive step however means it is incumbent on the police to work to reverse the fall in sanction detection rates for this type of crime, which has occurred over the same three-year period," he said.
"Work by the PSNI and the Public Prosecution Service to identify why domestic violence and abuse cases continue to drop out of the criminal justice process, and to establish through case reviews, why some cases have not met the Test for Prosecution must also continue."
In conclusion, Mr McGuigan said addressing the issue of domestic violence and abuse required victims to be adequately supported and placed at the centre of the criminal justice process.
"Inspectors understand that where there has been co-location of Women's Aid workers with Public Protection Units this has had a positive impact and delivered more beneficial outcomes for high risk victims.
"We would hope this approach when combined with the establishment of Victim and Witness Care Units, will improve the experience of those victims who come forward, as it is only through perpetrators being convicted at court that victims can be fully protected," said Mr McGuigan.
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