News

Scottish Sentencing Council Reports

On 12 May 2022 the Scottish Sentencing Council published a report on the sentencing of offenders with mental health issues; this followed the publication of a report on the challenges of comparing sentences across jurisdictions and a report on sentencing domestic abuse offences.

Mental Health Support in Scotland's Prisons 2021: Under-Served and Under-Resourced

On 28 April 2022, the Mental Welfare Commission published a themed visit report entitled ‘Mental Health Support in Scotland’s Prisons 2021: Under-Served and Under-Resourced’. It advised that little had changed in relation to the outcome for prisoners’ mental health since the last themed visit in 2011 and that passing responsibility from SPS to NHS had offered no discernible improvements. It reiterated that seriously and acutely mentally ill people were still being housed in prisons instead of in hospital-based care.

Judged on Progress: the Need for Urgent Delivery on Scottish Justice Sector Reforms

On 10/01/22 the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee published its report, ‘Judged on Progress: the Need for Urgent Delivery on Scottish Justice Sector Reforms’. It’s a weighty piece with recommendations across the following areas: the impact of Covid 19 on the justice sector; prisons and prison policy; misuse of drugs and the criminal justice system; violence against women and girls; victims’ rights and victim support; reducing youth offending, offering community justice solutions and alternatives to custody; and legal aid.          Importantly, it includes an Action Plan for the Scottish Justice Sector in this session of Parliament, which include monitoring mechanisms e.g. did the Scottish Government agree to the recommendation to deliver the manifesto commitment not to hold under 18s in HMP Polmont – yes/no/in part – with progress against delivery.

Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 Implemented

On 17/12/21 Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 was implemented, whereby the age of criminal responsibility in Scotland rose from 8 to 12. (This was despite calls from the UN and Council of Europe during its passage through the Scottish Parliament that it should be raised to a minimum of 14.)

Independent Review of the Response to Deaths in Prison Custody

On 30/11/21 HMIPS, Families Outside and SHRC published the Independent Review of the Response to Deaths in Prison Custody. It contained a great number of recommendations under the following 5 themes: Family contact with the prison and involvement in care; Policies and processes after a death; Family contact and support following a death; Support for staff and other people held in prison after a death; and SPS and NHS documentation concerning deaths. Its key recommendation was “that a separate independent investigation should be          undertaken into each death in prison custody. This should be carried out by a body wholly independent of the Scottish Ministers, the SPS or the private prison operator, and the NHS.”

Pages

Archive

2021

2020

2018

2015

2014