Post Requested:

Independent Inspectorate for Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service

Tuesday, December 30, 2003

Media

“New legal watchdog for Scotland: Scotland’s senior law officer is to create an independent inspectorate to oversee the country’s legal service. Lord Advocate Colin Boyd QC said the Inspectorate of Prosecution will watch over both the Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service. [. . .] A Crown Office spokesman said: “The first task of the new body, and the bulk of its work in the first year, will be to produce a thematic review on the approach of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to race issues. . .” BBC

“New legal service watchdog revealed: The Lord Advocate yesterday announced the creation of an independent inspectorate for Scotland?s legal service following the recommendations of a highly critical report into the now infamous Surjit Singh Chhokar case . . .” Scotsman

“Justice reform welcome - and long overdue: The formal announcement by the Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd, QC, of the establishment of an independent inspectorate to oversee quality and efficiency in Scotland?s prosecution service is clearly very welcome, if somewhat overdue [. . .] It is therefore imperative that the new inspectorate does not see itself simply as an agency charged with combating “institutional racism”. Rather, the inspectorate is there to improve the delivery of justice across the board. . .” Scotsman. Leader.

“New legal watchdog for Scotland: Scotland is to have an independent inspectorate for its legal service after the recommendations of a critical report into the case of a murdered waiter. . .” Times

“Prosecution watchdog to be set up” Evening News

Press Release

“Independent inspectorate for Crown Office: A new independent inspectorate for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is to be established following a consultation period which closed on December 12. . .” Scot. Exec.

See also

Establishing an Independent Inspectorate for the Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service. Proposals from the Lord Advocate. Crown Office September 2003.

Chhokar Inquiry Report. Report by Dr Raj Jandoo. Action Plan Updated to Nov 2002. Crown Office.

Research Note RN 01/97. Recommendations of the Independent Inquiries into the Surjit Singh Chhokar Murder Case. Scottish Parliament 6 November 2001.

Report of the Inquiry into the liaison arrangements between the police, the Procurator Fiscal Service and the Crown Office and the family of the deceased Surjit Singh Chhokar in connection with the murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar and the related prosecutions Vol. 1 Report :Scottish Parliament papers Session 1 (2001) 424 vol. 1 Price: ?22.10 ISBN: 0338404430. TSO.

The Report of an Inquiry into Crown Decision-Making in the Case of the Murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar. Chairman: The Rt. Hon. Sir Anthony Campbell. Scottish Parliament Paper 425.

I haven’t been able to find a working link to Dr Jandoo’s report. If you have one I’d appreciate the reference. Thanks. MM.

Posted by MM on Tue 30th Dec 2003 at 3:55 pm
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