criminal justice

Achieving best evidence in criminal proceedings: guidance for vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, including children: volume 1

The Government is committed to improving the protection during the criminal justice process for vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, including children. This document is issued as part of ‘Action for Justice’, the implementation programme for the ‘Speaking Up for Justice’ report. Following the report, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 set out a range of special measures to assist vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, including children to give their best evidence in criminal proceedings.

Working together for Scotland: making it work together - a programme for government

Policy document which sets out the government's objectives for social policy to improve the lives of Scottish people in collaboration with the public, private and voluntary sectors, local government and the UK Government.

The document sets out achievements and targets in the following: justice, education and lifelong learning, health and community care, environment, transport, drugs and finance.

Statistics on women and the criminal justice system: a Ministry of Justice publication under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991

These statistics have been gathered together from various official and non-government sources to paint a picture of the treatment and experiences of women within the Criminal Justice System.

This includes women in their roles as offenders, victims of crime, suspects and as employees/practitioners within criminal justice agencies. Under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 it is the duty of the Secretary of State [for Justice] to publish this information in an effort to avoid discrimination of any kind and at any stage within the system.

'Work in progress': an audit of criminal justice social work provision in Scotland 2001-2002 (Towards effective practice, paper 2)

Report presenting the results of an audit of criminal justice social work provision in Scotland carried out to gain a national picture of the main areas of structured activity in community based programme and service development in Scotland.

Getting It Right For Every Child: children and young people's experiences of advocacy support and participation in the Children's Hearings System - big words and big tables

This research project, commissioned by the Scottish Government, looks at how advocacy for children in the Children's Hearings System compares with arrangements in other UK systems of child welfare and youth justice and those internationally, and what children and young people and the professionals who work with them think about advocacy arrangements in the Children's Hearings System and how these can be improved.

Sex Offenders Act 1997

Act that sets out the notification requirements for sexual offenders in the UK and for those who have committed sexual offences outside the UK. Sex offenders are required to register their address or any change of address with the police.

Measures to assist vulnerable or intimidated witnesses in the criminal justice system

In June 1998 the Government published “Speaking up for Justice”, a report of an Interdepartmental Working Group on the treatment of Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses in the Criminal Justice System. It proposed a coherent and integrated scheme to provide appropriate support and assistance for vulnerable or intimidated witnesses. This is a summary report of the key recommendations, legislation and implementation.