The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) have been given additional in-year budget of £3.6million to fund the recruitment up to 140 permanent staff.
This significant resource has been agreed by the Scottish Government in response to the changing profile and complexity of caseload.
The new staff, including 60 additional lawyers, will be deployed across Scotland’s sole, independent prosecution service in functions including:
- Scottish Fatalities Investigations Unit
- Local Court teams across Scotland
- National Sexual Crimes Unit
- Victim Information and Advice
The Lord Advocate, the Rt Hon James Wolffe QC, ministerial head of Scotland’s system of prosecution, said: “The effective, rigorous and fair prosecution of crime in the public interest underpins our freedom and security and helps keep our communities safe from crime, disorder and danger.
“COPFS is responding to the changing nature and complexity of criminal cases prosecuted, and to the public’s reasonable expectation for timely investigation of deaths.
“This increased funding represents a strong commitment to supporting the work of the independent public prosecutor within the criminal justice system.”
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