Turning words into action: How police contact can reduce victim withdrawal in hate crime investigations

5th June 2026Inspector Craig Went, Metropolitan Police

Hate crime investigations are among the most complex and emotionally charged cases for officers, with more than half of cases ending due to victim attrition; Metropolitan Police Inspector Craig Went highlights the results of a new ‘secondary reassurance contact’ approach, developed with colleague DCI Dan Whitten, in which a relatively small change in process is leading to a significant reduction in victim withdrawals.

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Turning words into action: How police contact can reduce victim withdrawal in hate crime investigations

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