Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews in Scotland: Protocol

15. Where Lord Advocate approval is not gained to publish a review report

Where the Lord Advocate determines that the risk is such that a review report cannot be published a public summary will be published. This will be a reduced version of the pseudonymised review report which provides high level context and a summary of the learning and recommendations. These will be drafted in such as way that the deceased, their friends and family are not identified in order to minimise any associated risk in publication of the fuller pseudonymised report.

Where there are significant risks associated with the publication of a public summary, a further reduction of information would be published in order to fulfil the Review Oversight Committee’s statutory obligations under section 28(1)(b) to publish information it considers appropriate about the recommendations made in the report, and to support learning to be shared promptly to help safeguard those affected by abusive domestic behaviour and/ or promoting victims’ wellbeing. This may be done through a redacted or reduced public summary or an alternative approach such as a summary poster and accompanying short learning briefing. Such mechanisms would be approved for publication by the Review Oversight Committee Chair. As an additional safeguard, COPFS as a member of the Review Oversight Committee would highlight where there were any issues or concerns relating to the content of the publication.

The Secretariat on behalf of the Review Oversight Committee Chair may seek legal advice about publication of a full or partial report, public summary or alternative materials before publication takes place.