Competing concepts of public value and legitimacy in the police: Organisational challenges in the investigation of rape and serious sexual offences

Conviction rates for rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) in England and Wales are at an all-time low, with 1.6% of cases resulting in conviction. Whilst officers value victim care, their ability to support victims is compromised by organisational expectations aimed at regaining legitimacy. The authors argue that strategies employed to re-establish legitimacy may conflict with wider public value delivery. They question the application of New Public Management and target setting approaches to evaluate good policing. The paper offers suggestions as to why internal and external legitimacy is required to achieve transformational change and wider legitimacy in RASSO investigations.