Domestic Homicide and Suicide Reviews in Scotland: Protocol

5. Review Oversight Committee

The Review Oversight Committee will determine whether a death is reviewable and if so, whether a reviewable death is to be reviewed. Deaths to be considered by the Review Oversight Committee can be received through two different routes. Firstly by written notification where a notifying body, Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) or the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC), is aware of a death which it believes is a reviewable death. The second route is where the Scottish Ministers become aware of a death that they believe is, or may be reviewable. Scottish Ministers may become aware of a death through correspondence from families or friends of the person who has died, services who were in contact with the victim, perpetrator or children, the media etc. The Scottish Ministers may also become aware of a death through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office if the death occurred abroad.

Notifying bodies will provide a written copy of the notification to the Scottish Ministers. Where the Scottish Ministers make a referral they will provide a written copy of the referral to Police Scotland, COPFS and PIRC.

Following consideration of a notification or referral by the Review Oversight Committee the Scottish Ministers will inform each notifying body in writing of the decision made on whether a death is reviewable and if so, whether a review is to proceed. If a review is to proceed the Secretariat, provided by the Scottish Government, will confirm whether the Review Oversight Committee has decided that the review is to be a combined review – a review of more than one reviewable death and whether a joint review – more than one review process, is being considered. The Secretariat will also confirm if the Review Oversight Committee is giving consideration to expanding the review beyond the point of death.