A report examined the feasibility of establishing a youth court in Scotland. It recommended a system allowing dedicated youth court sheriffs to review an offender s progress throughout their order, and multi-disciplinary teams to supervise young offenders and provide a flexible new range of programmes - including elements of reparation and support services - which are able to address the whole of the young person s needs.
Source: Youth Court Feasibility Project Group Report, Justice Department/Scottish Executive (0131 244 5434)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report
Date: 2002-Dec
A report contained the results of the first comprehensive study to examine all of the services involved in dealing with offending by young people in Scotland. The report looked at how some 240 million is spent, and made 38 recommendations for action.
Source: Dealing with Offending by Young People, Auditor General/Accounts Commission (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2002-Dec
A Scottish Executive report proposed a range of measures to support young runaways and children at risk of sexual exploitation through prostitution.
Source: Vulnerable Children: Young runaways and children abused through prostitution, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report | Press release
Date: 2002-Dec
A leading children's charity announced that it is to hold an inquiry into youth crime in Scotland. The inquiry, to be chaired by the former Bishop of Edinburgh, will examine evidence of the successes and failures of youth justice policy and come up with proposals on the best way forward.
Source: Press release 2.12.02, NCH (0845 7626579)
Links: Press release
Date: 2002-Dec
The Scottish Executive said that three new research reports confirm the need for standardised assessment of sexual offenders across all agencies in Scotland - police, prisons and social work.
Source: Gill McIvor and Hazel Kemshall with Gill Levy, Serious Violent and Sexual Offenders: The Use of Risk Assessment Tools in Scotland, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566) | Nancy Loucks, Recidivism amongst Serious Violent and Sexual Offenders - Research Findings, Scottish Executive, TSO | Nancy Loucks, Recidivism amongst Serious Violent and Sexual Offenders, Scottish Executive, TSO
Links: McIvor report | Loucks report (1) | Loucks report (2) | Press release
Date: 2002-Nov
Under a new law applying in Scotland from 1 November 2002, men accused of rape and sexual assault can no longer question their alleged victims in court.
Source: Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Act 2002, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | Guardian report
Date: 2002-Nov
The Scottish Executive published a draft strategy for reducing the level of domestic abuse.
Source: Draft National Prevention Strategy: Domestic Abuse 2002, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Strategy
Date: 2002-Oct
A study found that a programme in central Scotland has had a positive impact on offending and anti-social behaviour among vulnerable children, as well as on their physical health, parental management and support, school attainment and behaviour at school.
Source: Gill McIvor with Kristina Moodie, Evaluation of the Matrix Project, Scottish Executive (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2002-Oct
A study evaluated the effectiveness of drug treatment and testing orders in pilot areas of Scotland. It found that they have become established as an additional option for courts in dealing with drug offenders.
Source: Susan Eley, Kathryn Gallop, Gill McIvor, Kerry Morgan and Rowdy Yates, Drug Treatment and Testing Orders: Evaluation of the Scottish Pilots, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Date: 2002-Oct
Research found that fewer men than women suffer from domestic violence, but that some male victims would benefit from support and advice regarding housing and welfare.
Source: David Gadd, Stephen Farrall, Damian Dallimore and Nancy Lombard, Domestic Abuse Against Men in Scotland, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report | Press release
Date: 2002-Sep
Researchers reported favourably on a drugs campaign in Scotland aimed at reducing drug misuse and drug-related offending, and raising awareness of the dangers of drugs in the community.
Source: Doug Maclean, Joanna Gilliatt and Jenny Brogden, Evaluation of the 'Know the Score' Drugs Campaign, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report
Date: 2002-Sep
Researchers examined the first statistics on two new offences of racially aggravated crime in Scots law.
Source: I. Clark and S. Moody, Racist Crime and Victimisation in Scotland, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2002-May
