“How To Prevent Crime: Put Child Welfare First: Prevention is better than cure. It?s an old adage, but it holds good. Whether we are talking about the fabric of our home or the fabric of our society, common sense tells us that it is always better to deal with a problem at an early stage. [. . .] even the most cursory examination of the current policy debate on young people reveals an emphasis on a punitive rather than a supportive approach. There is a crying need to rebalance our efforts. . .” Sunday Herald. Comment by Susan Deacon, formerly Scottish Minister for Health and Community Care.

“Deacon tells First Minister: put children first to cut youth crime: The McConnell government has been told by one of its most senior backbenchers that it needs a radical shift from the ?punitive? attack on young tearaways to supportive policies which help children avoid becoming anti-social, overweight and undisciplined. Susan Deacon, the former health minister, has set out one of the boldest Labour alternatives to the path being followed by First Minister Jack McConnell, warning that the Executive is doing only one side of what is necessary to tackle youth crime. . .” Sunday Herald

See also

Youth Crime in Scotland. A Scottish Executive Policy Unit Review. Kenneth Hogg. July 1999.

N.B. Dates listed on the Scottish Executive publications site tend to be the dates of upload rather than publication for earlier documents. Not helpful. MM

“Rough Justice Czar. Prosecutors Probed: A Czar is to be appointed to prevent future miscarriages of justice and blunders by prosecutors.For the first time, Scotland will have a Chief Inspector of Prosecution who will police the way the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal service operate. . .” Sunday Mail

Press release

“Independent Inspectorate of Prosecution” Scot. Exec. 4.3.04.