criminal justice

Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003

This Act of Scottish Parliament is in twelve parts: protection of the public at large; victims' rights; sexual offences; prisoners; drugs courts; non-custodial punishments; children; evidential, jurisdictional and procedural matters; bribery and corruption; criminal records; local authority functions; and a miscellaneous part which includes sections on offences aggravated by religious prejudice, wildlife offences and anti-social behaviour strategies.

The public inquiry into the shootings at Dunblane Primary School on 13 March 1996 : the government response

This report sets out the government response to the findings and recommendations of the Cullen Inquiry following the shootings at Dunblane Primary School by Thomas Hamilton on 13 March 1996. Comment is made on: recommendations on the certification system relating to Section 1 firearms; police powers and the legal responsibilities of licensed gun or firearms clubs; restriction of the availability of Section 1 firearms and amendment of existing firearms legislation accordingly.

The public inquiry into the shootings at Dunblane Primary School on 13 March 1996

This report sets out the findings of the Cullen Inquiry following the shootings at Dunblane Primary School by Thomas Hamilton on 13 March 1996. The aim of the Inquiry was to clarify the exact circumstances leading up to and surrounding the incident, and to provide recommendations to safeguard the public against the misuse of firearms and other issues raised by the investigation.

Key recommendations include improved school security; the certification of firearms; and the vetting and supervision of adults working with children.

Scottish Courts

This website provides an access point to information relating to all civil and criminal courts within Scotland, including the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary, the Sheriff Courts and a number of other courts, commissions and tribunals as well the District Courts.

The information includes location details, contact numbers, advice and details of recent significant judgements.

Power to protect

Report examining the issue of crime in Scotland by looking at key indicators and the policies in place to deal with criminal behaviour, in particular focusing on policing, courts and sentencing to see what actions could be taken in those areas to achieve a long term fall in the crime rate.

Hand to mouth: the impact of poverty and financial exclusion on adults with multiple needs

People who have a range of needs including homelessness and mental health and substance use problems, and are involved with the criminal justice system, often live at the margins of our society. This research aimed to examine this group’s abilities to access financial services, their financial management skills and the interplay between key life events, mental health and offending.

Mental health care and the criminal justice system

This briefing paper examines the provision of mental health care in the criminal justice system. It looks at what has been achieved to date and identifies priorities for further work. It starts with an overview of the prison population, looking at ethnicity, gender, young people and Imprisonment for Public Protection.

The section on mental health care in prison covers: identifying mental health problems; transfer to NHS care; primary mental health care; dual diagnosis; personality disorders. Alternatives to imprisonment including diversion and community sentences are discussed.

Changes in offending following prescribing treatment for drug misuse

This study match information from the Police National Computer with the NTA’s National Drug Treatment Monitoring System database. Researchers looked at a sample of opiate and crack users who had recently offended but had not been jailed, and had started drug treatment in the community. They found, as well, that offences typically committed by drug addicts, such as theft, fell by almost half when they were in treatment programmes.