criminal justice system – The NEN

Scottish veterans to benefit from specialist support in the criminal justice system

Former serving personnel in police custody are to be offered a referral to a specialist trauma-informed veteran support service.

The formal partnership between NOVA Scotland and Police Scotland Custody Centres will expand efforts to identify, engage with and support Scottish veterans, aiming to break down barriers, such as fear of stigma and shame, that currently prevent veterans in contact with the Scottish criminal justice system from disclosing their service or asking for help.

NOVA Scotland is delivered by the Forces Employment Charity, the UK’s leading provider of justice services to the veteran community.

The majority of former serving personnel transition well to civilian life, but for some, factors including poor physical or mental health, homelessness, debt or substance misuse can lead them into contact with the justice system.

All veterans referred from Police Scotland to NOVA Scotland will receive an individual needs assessment informing a bespoke care plan to address any issues they need support with. This will help to reduce the risk of reoffending and improve outcomes for the veterans, their families and communities.

Marielle Curran, Operations Manager for NOVA Scotland, said: “This partnership marks a pivotal step in ensuring veterans in police custody can access the trauma-informed, specialist support they need to rebuild and redirect their lives.

“Our work saves lives and transforms futures. However, early engagement is critical. Our collaboration with Police Scotland will improve outcomes for veterans, while supporting police and contributing to safer communities across Scotland.”

The partnership, secured by an Information Sharing Agreement, builds on the proven support NOVA Scotland has provided to veterans in contact with Police Scotland’s Vulnerable Persons Unit since 2024.

Chief Superintendent Chris Stewart, Criminal Justice Services Division, said: “This new partnership with NOVA Scotland will provide specialist support to veterans who come into police custody by addressing the underlying factors that brought them into contact with the criminal justice system.

“We recognise that many people in custody do not routinely engage with support services or with their GP – and they are often in crisis. Our national arrest referral scheme connects these vulnerable people with organisations that can help them with issues such as mental health, substance misuse, debt and homelessness.

“Our partnership with NOVA Scotland is a welcome addition to this successful scheme and will enable veterans and their families to get the appropriate treatment and support they need.”

By strengthening early identification and intervention for veterans when they come into contact with the justice system, the partnership directly supports the Scottish Veterans Commissioner’s recommendations in the 2024 report Veterans and the Law, specifically that there be a collaborative approach between statutory and third sector providers to prevent offending, support rehabilitation, and reduce reoffending.

Scottish Veterans Commissioner Susie Hamilton said: “I am delighted to see the development of this formal partnership between Police Scotland and NOVA Scotland, which reflects the recommendation in my ‘Veterans and the Law’ report that there be a collaborative approach between statutory and third sector providers to improve outcomes for the small minority of veterans who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

“By increasing access to effective, tailored support that recognises how service experience can shape behaviour, needs and identity, veterans facing complex challenges can be helped to get their lives back on track.

“In turn, this can help reduce the risk of reoffending, decrease the impact on potential victims and wider society, as well as delivering long-term value for the public purse.”

Holyrood committee seeks views on proposed changes to young people’s criminal justice system

Changes to the care of children and the involvement of children in the criminal justice system are to come under scrutiny at the Scottish Parliament.

The Education, Children and Young People Committee will consider the proposals laid out in the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill and would like to hear the views of people from across Scotland.

The Bill changes how the justice system approaches offences committed by people under the age of 18. This will include allowing most 16- and 17-year-olds to attend a Children’s Hearing, rather than a court.

Changes would also be made to regulations around accommodations for young people. Under the proposals 16- and 17-year-olds, accused of or guilty of offences would not be held in Young Offenders Institutions or prisons, but instead would be sent to secure accommodation. The Bill would also change how care services providing residential accommodation to children are regulated.

The Committee is opening a call for views so it can hear the views of organisations supporting young people in conflict with the law, young people and parents. The Committee is also very interested in hearing the views of legal professionals, secure accommodation providers and victims of crime.

Following the end of the consultation the Committee plans to hold a series of evidence sessions to discuss the Bill, before reporting its findings to the Parliament later in the year.

Sue Webber, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee said: “The Bill we will be scrutinising will allow all 16- and 17-year-olds to access the Children’s Hearings System for the first time.

“This aims to safeguard those at risk of harm and change how the justice system deals with young people who have committed offences. It also introduces a range of further measures designed to improve the way that children are treated, including ensuring no young person under the age of 18 will be sent to a Young Offenders’ Institution or prison.

“We want to get a thorough understanding of how the proposals in the Bill might impact on people across Scotland, including young people themselves, children’s support organisations and youth justice bodies.

“Please share your views on these proposals with our Committee before the 17 March 2023 deadline.”

HUSH: Breaking the Silence

Only two weeks to go until Victim Support Scotland’s #HUSH project launches at Many Studios in Glasgow!

A free multimedia exhibition which tells the stories of families who have been bereaved by crime in Scotland.

Click here to read more:

https://victimsupport.scot/hush-coming-soon/

RoSPA alarmed by rise in cyclist and child road deaths

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is deeply concerned that latest Department for Transport (DfT) figures show an increase in the number of fatal collisions involving cyclists and children, despite an overall reduction in the number of road deaths following a year of lockdowns.

The DfT published the Reported Road Casualties Great Britain 2020 which shows that last year 1,460 people were killed on our roads, which is a fall of 17 per cent compared with the figure in 2019.

In 2020, there were a total of 115,584 reported road casualties of all severities, which was a fall of 25 per cent from the previous year. For much of 2020, there was a COVID lockdown and the RAC estimated that miles travelled in Great Britain were 21 per cent down on the previous year.

Alarmingly, data from the DfT shows that in 2020, 141 cyclists were killed in road accidents. This was up 41 per cent from 100 deaths in the previous year. The number of children killed on Britain’s roads also increased, from 49 in 2019 to 52 in 2020.

David Walker, Head of Road and Leisure Safety at RoSPA said: “By any measure 2020 was an abnormal year. It is of no surprise that the overall number of road casualties fell. This is in no small part due to less traffic on the roads.

“With traffic levels returning to pre-pandemic levels and some understandable reluctance towards using public transport, we must today continue to focus on the harm to motorists and more significantly, from motorists.

“We welcome the fact that more people have been getting out on their bikes and recognise the reduction in the rate of deaths per mile travelled. However, this should not distract from the shocking fact that more cyclists and more children died on our roads than in the previous year.

“At RoSPA we believe that having more cyclists and pedestrians should not result in an increased number of serious and fatal accidents involving vulnerable road users.

“We must continue to act decisively if we want to maintain the position of British roads being among the safest in the world.”

With travel restrictions in place throughout 2020, there was a huge increase in the number of people electing to use active travel such as walking and cycling.

According to the DfT‘s Road Traffic Estimates in Great Britain 2020, pedal cycle traffic was up by 45.7 per cent from the previous year.