Annex C Consultation

A data user review of justice social work statistics was conducted in 2023 and published on the Scottish Government website. This is the last time that these six recommendations will be reported on as they have been progressed as far as possible.

1. Aim: Improve the timing of published data – from 2024 onwards, the report will be split in two. This will allow some of the data to be in the public domain three to four months earlier. Outcome: This has been completed.
2. Aim: Commentary to be changed to reflect some of the requests e.g., key points at the beginning of topics and more graphs/infographics to break up text. Outcome: This has been completed.
3. Aim: Tables to be streamlined to allow filtering to make it easier to select different years and geographical breakdowns. Outcome: This has been completed.
4. Aim: There were a number of requests asking for more data linkage. This would first require a review and likely changes to existing information governance arrangements, to ensure any future work in this area is compliant with data protection regulations. Outcome: There is ongoing work to improve governance in data linking requests. Any request for data linkage would go through the Scottish Government Statistical Public Benefit and Privacy Panel.
5. Aim: Possible changes to the data collection method, possibly extending the use of the ProcXed.NET data platform to make data transfer between local authorities and Scottish Government more efficient. Outcome: Not currently resourced.
6. Aim: Investigate and review the requests for additional data that relate to justice social work statistics. Outcome: There were 11 requests on possible changes to the data collection. These were investigated and this is a summary of the results:

Ten of these requests have been closed:

• Justice social work reports conversion data – this is already published.
• Local authority data – due to resource burden, it was decided against increasing the frequency of collection, but disposal information is available from other sources more frequently since this review was commissioned (see Annex A).
• Bail statistics – extra data is now requested.
• Unpaid work hours – there is now a separate publication on this topic.
• Where services are shared – shared services are split into separate local authorities in the data.
• Throughcare – there is now improved guidance and additional questions.
• Demographics – data was requested in 2024-25 for bail supervision numbers by age group data.
• Social work family grouping – this is outside the scope of this publication.
• Drug treatment and testing orders (DTTO) – a previous working group decided to remove the collection of data on DTTO assessments when reviewing the information to be collected on a unit basis.
• Low and high tariff structured deferred sentences (SDS) - SDS is a flexible intervention and the guidance does not define low and high tariff.

 The other request is awaiting change to support investigation:

• Diversion from prosecution - awaiting new national guidance to be published in 2025.