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News about criminal justice in Scotland
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Latest Justice News From the Scottish Government
Appointment of part-time sheriff
New appointment to the office of part-time sheriff.
National drug deaths database
Social and medical history of every person whose life is lost to drugs will be recorded in Scotland.
Police recruitment
Justice Secretary meets new recruits.
CjScotland News Log
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
NCH Scotland report on youth justice
Update
“Call to back youth crime system: Scotland’s children’s hearing system needs to be reinforced to continue as an effective way of dealing with youth crime, an inquiry has found.
[. . .] The inquiry by charity NCH Scotland concluded a fully resourced system could lead the world in child justice. NCH Scotland insisted that the children’s hearing system should remain at the centre of efforts to tackle youth offending but stressed that the system needed significant reform and more resources [. . .] BBC
“Charity warns Executive over youth crime plans” Scottish TV
“Claims that Children?s Hearing system being neglected: Scottish TV
“Charity warns Executive not to return to Victorian punishments: A leading children?s charity warned the Scottish Executive yesterday not to return to Victorian models of punishment for youth crime, as it published a major report into the children?s hearing system.
[. . .] It also comes ahead of a report from the Scottish Children?s Reporter Association, which is today expected to show a continuing increase in the number of referrals to the panels. . .” Scotsman
“14-month mental health delays for children in panel system: Children with mental health problems are being forced to wait up to 14 months for vital consultations with psychiatrists and psychologists, hampering the work of the hearing system. . .” Herald
“Child panel system ?must be retained?: A leading children’s charity yesterday warned Scotland against following England and Wales back to Victorian models of punishment for youth crime. Publishing the results of an inquiry into children’s hearings, NCH Scotland claimed the financial, social and human costs of the courts and punishment system south of the border should deter ministers from going down that road. . .” Herald
“Case for the children?s panel: Victorian values reared their head in 21st-century Scotland yesterday. The occasion was the publication of a report into the system of youth justice, and the warning against a return to nineteenth-century ways was directed at the Scottish Executive by NCH Scotland, the children’s charity. It was a reprimand worthy of Wackford Squeers, but NCH, concerned at the executive’s policy on anti-social behaviour, was right to issue it. . .” Herald. Comment.
Following posted on 26.1.04 at 8.38am.
“Spotlight on youth crime system: The way Scotland deals with youth crime comes under the spotlight in two major reports this week. . .” BBC
“Youth crime findings revealed: The findings of a major inquiry into Scotland’s youth justice system will be published later today. The recommendations are expected to map a new way forward in tackling the problem north of the border. . .” Scottish TV
“We can change behavioural pattern of anti-social youths: There is no shortage of common ground. The government, the police, public and voluntary social welfare agencies, and, not least, Scotland’s most affected communities, all want shot of what we now call anti-social behaviour. Now the debate on where this country stands on that ground has reached a crucial stage.
Over the past few weeks the justice and communities committees in the parliament have taken a wide range of evidence. The initial findings of a report into fast-tracking persistent offenders is in the public domain. And today NCH Scotland, the children’s charity, publishes the conclusions and recommendations of a year-long inquiry into youth justice. Tomorrow the annual report of the Children’s Hearings in Scotland is published. . .” Herald. Comment.
Press Releases
“Major Inquiry into Youth Crime in Scotland: Major inquiry into youth crime calls for “renewal” of Children’s Hearing system . . .” NCH Press Release.
“Young People in the Community Services Launched:Children 1st.
See also
“Recommendations of Inquiry into Youth Justice in Scotland: While we recognise current social anxiety about youth crime we do not believe that an increasingly punitive response is right or effective. . .” NCH.
Children’s Hearings official site
Posted by MM on Tue 27th Jan 2004 at 2:57 pm
Children and justice Children's hearings Criminal justice reform Young People • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Management fraud at ‘record level’ in Scotland
“Major fraud hits ‘record level’: Major fraud reached a record level in Scotland last year, according to research. There were 17 cases involving sums of more than ?100,000, compared to 10 cases in the previous year, KPMG Forensic said. . .” BBC
See also
Posted by MM on Tue 27th Jan 2004 at 2:40 pm
Crime data • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Baroness Stern warns Scotland not to follow English criminal justice model
Update
“Victims of the justice gap” Version of Drummond Hunter Memorial lecture. Scotsman
Following posted on 7.1.04 at 9.33am.
“Scotland should learn from England?s ?costly mistakes in criminal justice? says international criminal justice expert”
Speaking to the Howard League for Penal Reform in Scotland in Edinburgh on yesterday, Baroness Vivien Stern, recently appointed Convenor of the Scottish Consortium on Crime and Criminal Justice, suggested that Scotland has the chance to avoid the mistakes in criminal justice policy which have been made in England since the mid 1990s.
Delivering the Drummond Hunter Memorial lecture she identified these as follows:
- to imagine that the criminal justice system was a service like health and education, and to feel that the more of it there was the more people would be satisfied;
- to imagine that criminal justice can deliver a lot of crime reduction, to believe that sending people to prison and putting them through other non-prison punishments will reduce their propensity to commit crime and therefore crime will fall;
- to imagine that this criminal justice system can be effectively controlled from the centre, and made to deliver by having targets imposed upon it.
She concluded, referring to the Scarman Report on the riots in Brixton in 1981:
?As consideration is given to new ways of dealing with crime in Scotland there is an opportunity to look again at what benefits come from the large investment in criminal justice and whether there may be another and better way. We must never forget that there can be no criminal justice without social justice.?
See also
Howard League Scotland Full text of lecture.
Scottish Consortium on Crime and Criminal Justice
Justice Department
Posted by MM on Tue 27th Jan 2004 at 2:33 pm
Criminal justice reform Criminal Justice Social Work Prisons and prisoners Sentencing • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Youth gender assumptions challenged
“Ladette girls ‘outdrink the boys’: Teenage girls in Scotland have been outdoing boys when it comes to drugs, drinking, smoking and going out, a study of 15-year-olds has revealed. Researchers also discovered an increase in hooliganism among young women. . .” BBC
“Concern that teenage girls are more likely to smoke and drink: Researchers say teenage girls are more likely to smoke and drink, while boys stay at home reading or playing computer games, turning the stereotypical image of Scotland upside down . . .” Scottish TV
“Teenagers bridging the gender gap: The gender gap between teenagers is closing, with more of them opting for pastimes traditionally associated with the opposite sex. . .” Scotsman
“Girls more likely to drink and smoke: Times
“Today’s girls: smoking and drinking on street corners: A new generation of teenage girls spend their time hanging around the streets, smoking and drinking according to researchers from Glasgow. . .” Evening Times
Press Release
“Hobbies of today’s teenagers may explain increase in bad habits: Medical Research Council (MRC) scientists from the Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow reveal in the latest edition of the Journal of Youth Studies that what today’s teenagers do in their spare time may partly explain why there is a greater increase in smoking, drinking and drug taking amongst girls than among boys. . .” Glasgow University
See also
Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow
Posted by MM on Tue 27th Jan 2004 at 2:27 pm
Drugs and alcohol Gender and crime Young People • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Minister praises victim support services and prosecution reform
Press Release
“Crown Office modernisation: Improvements to the prosecution service have allowed more serious crimes to be dealt with and allowed the introduction of a much more efficient service available for victims, Finance and Public Services Minister Andy Kerr said today. . .“Scot. Exec. 26.1.04
Posted by MM on Tue 27th Jan 2004 at 2:25 pm
Victims and witnesses Victim information and support • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Glasgow to consider banning bottles from take-aways
“City decides on glass bottle ban: Glasgow may ban the sale of glass bottles from late-night takeaways in a bid to cut down on street violence. City councillors will consider outlawing all goods sold in glass containers from chip shops and outlets in a meeting on Tuesday. . .” BBC
“Ban on glass bottles” Scottish TV
“Council move to ban bottled drinks from takeaways” Scotsman
“Councillors backing ban on glass bottles” Evening Times
Press release
“Glass ban agreed for licensed late night takeaway venues: Glasgow City Council?s Licensing Committee agreed today, (27 January 2004), to ban the sale of goods in glass from late hours catering venues ? the first ban of its kind in Scotland. . .” Glasgow City Council
Posted by MM on Tue 27th Jan 2004 at 2:19 pm
Crime Prevention Community initiatives Drugs and alcohol • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Benefit fraud
“Minister pledges crackdown on benefit fraud: Chris Pond, the minister in charge of benefits, has promised a major crackdown on those who make fraudulent claims. Speaking during a visit to Edinburgh yesterday, Mr Pond pledged tougher measures to claw back the ?72 million lost in Scotland every year to fraudsters and also insisted he would initiate a drive to get people off incapacity benefit and into work. . .” Scotsman
Posted by MM on Tue 27th Jan 2004 at 2:12 pm
Crime data • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Monday, January 26, 2004
Sexism in police
“Sexism still a problem in police?chief constable: Sexism among policemen is still a barrier to women attaining promotion in forces throughout Britain, according to Tayside?s Chief Constable John Vine. Women make up 20% of the 10,000 constables in Scotland?s eight forces but only 9% of those achieved higher ranks, while in the UK there are only two female chief constables. . .” Courier
“Sexism in police stops women fitting the Bill: Talented female police officers are prevented from reaching the top of their profession by sexism, and Scottish forces should do more to combat discrimination, according to a report by a chief constable. . .” Scotland on Sunday
Press release
“ACPOS President asks: why so few women officers?” Tayside Police
Posted by MM on Mon 26th Jan 2004 at 2:29 pm
Gender and crime Police • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Many motorists ignore traffic cameras in Aberdeen
“Hundreds thumb noses at spy cameras: Hundreds of law-breaking motorists have completely ignored Aberdeen City Council?s controversial new spy- camera system aimed at cracking down on bus-lane dodgers, it was revealed yesterday. In three days a total of 436 motorists were captured flouting the bus-only regulations, on just one of the eight cameras operating in the city. . .” Scotsman
Posted by MM on Mon 26th Jan 2004 at 2:27 pm
Crime data Crime Prevention CCTV • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Friday, January 23, 2004
New government funding for rape crisis centres
“Funding for rape crisis centres: Communities Minister Margaret Curran has pledged cash for services helping victims of rape and other sex attacks. The Scottish Executive said the services would receive ?1.76m and it was the first time they have benefited from government funding . . .” BBC
“New resources to help rape victims announced: New resources to help rape and sexual abuse victims are to be announced by the Executive today [. . .] Demand for the service is high with the number of reported rapes rising by 21% in 2002. There are eight centres throughout Scotland. . .” Scottish TV
“Executive improves support for rape victims” Grampian TV
Press Release
“Improved services for rape and abuse victims: New and improved services for rape and sexual abuse victims will be running across Scotland by the end of the year, it was announced today. Communities Minister Margaret Curran pledged radical changes to the way Rape Crisis Centres are funded and the possibility of a new national helpline service, similar to the successful Domestic Abuse Helpline. . .” Scot. Exec.
See also
Posted by MM on Fri 23rd Jan 2004 at 10:03 pm
Gender and crime Rape Victims and witnesses • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
New Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service strategy launched
“Law chief plans to speed up prosecutions” Times. 24.1.04
“Plans to speed up prosecutions: Proposals aimed at making the criminal justice system more efficient have been unveiled by Scotland’s top law officer. Lord Advocate Colin Boyd QC has promised speedier prosecutions, quicker action on cases and more openness when dealing with victims and witnesses. . .” BBC
“Plans to speed up justice system unveiled: Court cases for serious crimes will go ahead more quickly under ambitious new targets set by Scotland’s most senior law officer. Unveiling a new three year strategy, Lord Advocate Colin Boyd said he wants to see major offences like drug trafficking given priority in a new, more efficient court system. . .” Scottish TV
“Law chief sets court deadlines: Scotland’s top law officer today promised to make the nation’s streets safer as he unveiled new measures aimed at speeding up the justice system . . .” Evening Times
Press Release
“Strategic Plan for prosecution service: Priorities for the next three years in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) were announced today by Lord Advocate Colin Boyd QC. The priorities and initiatives set out in the COPFS Strategic Plan 2004-2006, some of which are already underway, will help the department meet its aim of providing an independent, modern prosecution service fit for the 21st century. . .” Scot. Exec.
See also
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Strategic Plan 2004 - 2006. Full version.
Posted by MM on Fri 23rd Jan 2004 at 9:53 pm
Courts Procurators Fiscal • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Change to speeding points system mooted
“Speed shake-up plan to slash driving bans:The Government is considering changing the speeding laws to prevent thousands of drivers being banned from the road for four minor offences. They are looking at a new “sophisticated” system where the number of points motorists receive for exceeding the limit depends on how dangerous their conduct is. . .” Evening News
“Speeding points plan ‘madness’: Controversial plans to change the points system for speeding drivers were today branded “complete madness”. . .” Evening Times
Posted by MM on Fri 23rd Jan 2004 at 9:52 pm
Criminal justice reform • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Crimestoppers to be 24-hour service
“Crime line goes 24 hour in a bid to double calls: The Crimestoppers helpline is to launch a round-the-clock service in a move expected to double the number of calls it takes from the public. Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson is to launch the 24-hour service following concern thousands of calls are missed after helpline staff clock off at the end of the day. . .” Evening News
Posted by MM on Fri 23rd Jan 2004 at 9:49 pm
Police • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
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