Violence Prevention Framework for Scotland: data protection impact assessment

4. Description of the project

4.1 Description of the work:

To strengthen our approach to tackling violence in Scotland, the development and publication of the first ever SG Violence Prevention Framework came from a refresh of the violence reduction policy; it includes a look back on what has been achieved in Scotland over the last decade or so, with a focus on what violence in Scotland looks like today, considers the evidence available on violence prevention, what other SG policies contribute towards preventing violence and tackling specific forms of violence e.g. Equally Safe and Hate Crime, review whether our public health approach is still relevant and the right approach and sets out a vision and priority aims which reflect our aspirations and expectations for the future.

The Framework includes an Action plan with 14 initial actions to take forward in this current financial year. A list of these actions is included at Annex A, which continue to be taken forward through our SG Grant funded violence reduction partners, using the annual funding and resources we currently have available, details of which are described in each of their business plans.

This programme of activities will support:

• A collaborative partnership approach to implement the Framework’s vision and aims and more specifically deliver the actions set out in the Action Plan.
• Delivery of a measurement framework to measure progress against the Violence Prevention Framework’s vision, aims and actions where possible.
• Delivery of the annual SG Progress Reports by end of September 2024 and 2025. These will set out progress and highlight the ongoing and new actions for the following year.
• Continued engagement with, and response to, new and emerging evidence on violence in Scotland.
• Maximising delivery of the Framework’s vision, aims and actions, in a collaborative way within the existing and future possible budget.

The Framework is owned by the Community Safety Policy and Prevention Unit in the Safer Communities Division of the Safer Communities Directorate. It is being overseen by a Framework Implementation Group made up of partner organisations and this group oversee the Framework Risk Register. Funded organisations report on progress towards the Framework actions on a quarterly basis and this contributes to the Framework’s annual reports.

Internal Liaison; Development of the Framework involved liaising with policy colleagues from across SG to collate information and identify areas of crossover in policy to establish what was currently being done in areas that contribute to violence reduction, to ensure relevant connection were being made and to avoid duplication of effort.

Wider views sought from: Academia; Voices of those with lived experience of violence (victims/repeat victims/offenders and communities); Young people’s feedback from Police Scotland/Fearless consultation survey analysis on their experiences of violence; Scottish Violence Reduction Unit run focus groups with people with lived experience of violence; SG commissioned research on repeat violent victimisation.

4.2 Personal data to be processed.

Variable: Lived Experience

Data Source: Personal real-life stories

4.3 Describe how this data will be processed:

The data was collected by partner organisations through small workshops with fewer than 50 people with lived experience, with whom we have confirmed have their own data protection processes as well as providing them with a statement about what the information will be used for. It came to SG via recordings without any names or locations, and only be accessed by the Violence reduction team members. It was transcribed and completely anonymised of any identifying information, for potential use as anonymous case studies within the Violence Prevention Framework. Recordings were then deleted. This data was collected on a one-off basis – and therefore did not need keeping up to date.

4.4 Explain the legal basis for the sharing with internal or external partners:

The data was processed on the basis of consent. Participants were made aware of the purpose for collecting data and what it might be used for and had to actively opt in and sign a consent statement.