criminal justice system

"Why are they going to listen to me?" Young people's perspective on the complaints system in the youth justice system and secure estate

Report that outlines views on the complaints process in the youth justice system, from the perspectives and capturing the experiences of children in that system.

It builds on the previous work of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and User Voice in this field.

Fair access to justice? Support for vulnerable defendants in the criminal courts

Briefing paper that has been prepared for criminal justice, healthcare and legal professionals and practitioners, members of the judiciary, and local government directors of adult and children’s services and lead members in England and Wales.

It will be of particular use to those working in liaison and diversion services in England and criminal justice liaison services in Wales; magistrates; defence lawyers and court staff.

The Scottish Government response to the Commission on Women Offenders

Document that sets out the Scottish Government’s response to the Commission on Women Offenders. In April 2012, the Commission on Women Offenders published its report based on a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system in Scotland.

The Commission recommended actions that will improve outcomes for women involved in that system and reduce their reoffending.

COCOA: Care for Offenders Continuity of Access

Project that describes the current status of continuity of healthcare for offenders and identifies areas of best practice; identifies some clear mechanisms for ensuring initial access and continuity of care throughout the health and criminal justice systems; and produces some conjectured hypotheses of the essential elements of effective models of healthcare service delivery for offenders.

Time for change: an evaluation of an intensive support service for young women at high risk of secure care or custody

Briefing that presents key findings of research which evaluated the Time for Change Young Women’s Project, a community-based intensive support service for young women and girls aged 14 to 17 years at high risk of being drawn into secure care and custodial detention.

Open justice: empowering victims through data and technology

Report that shows how the digital environment has the potential to make public services such as the criminal justice agencies more accountable, participatory, collaborative, accessible, responsive and efficient.

It also assesses the degree to which such technologies have so far been utilised within the criminal justice system and explores what victims think about these innovations. In doing so, it looks at surveys of victims’ attitudes towards the criminal justice system and draws on the findings of focus groups undertaken with victims of crime for the purposes of this report.

Making justice work for victims and witnesses: Victims and Witnesses Bill - a consultation paper

The Scottish Government’s Making Justice Work Programme represents the most significant set of reforms to courts for more than a century. A central objective of the programme is to improve the experience of victims and witnesses, and a commitment has been made to to bring forward a Victims and Witnesses Bill during this Parliament.