National strategy for community justice: delivery plan update 4 – June 2025

Table of deliverables

Aim 1: Optimise the use of diversion and intervention at the earliest opportunity

Priority Action 1: Enhance intervention at the earliest opportunity by ensuring greater consistency, confidence in and awareness of services which support the use of direct measures and diversion from prosecution

No 1

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 2

Deliverable: Launch and support the embedding of updated Diversion from Prosecution Guidelines.

This will take into account the Drugs Death Taskforce Report and the ‘Joint review of diversion from prosecution’ report.

Timescale: October 2023

Responsibility: Lead partner - Community Justice Scotland

In collaboration with - members of the Diversion from Prosecution Review Group, including the Scottish Government, third sector, COPFS, Centre for Youth and Children and Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ), Local Authorities, Social Work Scotland and Police Scotland

Further detail: To ensure awareness of the roles of each partner involved, and to embed more consistent processes to diversion from prosecution, the Review Group will consider reflecting the following in the updated Guidelines:

• articulating the responsibilities of each partner agency in relation to diversion
• opportunities for joint training and awareness raising
• revising the documentation involved in diversion from prosecution and providing templates where appropriate.

Update: The updated guidelines are complete and undergoing final sign-off by partner agencies. Justice social work practice guidance is also complete and will be published alongside the guidelines.

Training and awareness sessions for partners are planned following sign-off of the updated guidelines.

Status: Outstanding

No 3

Deliverable: Improve the sharing of information and communication between relevant justice organisations at key points of the diversion from prosecution process.

This will take account of the ‘Joint review of diversion from prosecution’ report.

Timescale: April 2024

Responsibility: Lead partner - COPFS

In collaboration with - Police Scotland, Community Justice Scotland, Scottish Government and Local Authorities

Further detail: To enhance information sharing and communication, partners will consider:

• the provision of information on the factors which are driving offending behaviours, or health related matters, between Police Scotland and COPFS during initial decision making
• the flow of information at point of referral between COPFS and justice social work, in order to inform assessments
• communication between COPFS and justice social work in complex cases
• the flow of communication from COPFS to justice social work and the person on diversion at decision-making points
• appropriate participation within community justice partnerships.

Update: In addition to information on the accused’s mental health, we are working on a longer-term update to the information the police provide to prosecutors to enable them to take the right decisions to address the accused’s offending.

Prosecutors share bespoke information with Local Authorities through the diversion referral form.

The work to implement the recommendations from the ‘Joint review of diversion from prosecution’ report, is nearing completion. This will include agreement of template documents clarifying the information which needs to be shared with prosecutors by Local Authorities delivering or co-ordinating the delivery of diversion.

Status: Outstanding

Priority Action 2: Improve the identification of underlying needs and the delivery of support following arrest by ensuring the provision of person-centred care within police custody and building upon referral opportunities to services including substance use and mental health services.

No 4

Deliverable: Establish a Working Group that promotes best practice and works to drive an increase in referrals from police custody into support for mental health and wellbeing, addiction and other relevant services. This is with a view to longer term reduction in repeat offending and improved outcomes for individuals.

Timescale: January 2024

Responsibility: Lead partner - Police Scotland

In collaboration with - Scottish Government, Community Justice Scotland, Local Authorities, third sector, National Police Care Network, and other relevant community partners

Further detail: The group will seek to ensure that a whole person/no wrong door approach is adopted and that it is understood at a national level what services are available for those in police custody, how referrals can be effective and how provision can best be delivered to address individual needs.

The working group will be cognisant of and will respond to potential changes to arrest referral due to changing information sharing requirements.

Update: The first national arrest referral event was held on 30 April with representatives from Scottish Government, Police, NHS, Community Justice Scotland, Local Authorities, Judiciary, Defence Agent, COPFS, support services and lived experience in attendance.

The national event was held with a view to bringing momentum to the Arrest Referral process, understanding that there is already significant good work being delivered across the country, whilst hoping to increase the scope of the scheme and ensure that all individuals coming into custody have a positive option to access support.

Key themes which emerged and will be explored collectively in coming months are:

• Creation of local / national oversight groups to structure collaboration, meeting and communication.
• Continuing work to map the service landscape across the country with a view to identifying and meeting gaps in service provision.
• Enhancing data collection in terms of numbers of referrals, type of referral and evidence of impact
• Development of national shared principles.

Status: Outstanding

No 5

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 6

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 7

Deliverable: Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards 1-5, will be implemented in all local areas, including in justice settings.

Timescale: April 2025

Revised in update 3 to April 2026

Responsibility: Lead partner - Public Health Scotland

In collaboration with - Scottish Government, NHS Boards, Police Scotland, SPS, Community Justice Scotland, Local Authorities and Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships, third sector and individuals with lived and living experience

Further detail: The MAT Standards are evidence based standards to enable the consistent delivery of safe, accessible, high-quality drug treatment across Scotland. These are relevant to people and families accessing or in need of services, and health and social care staff responsible for delivery of recovery oriented systems of care.

The MAT Standards are being embedded and mainstreamed, including in justice settings, both community and custody.

Integration Authorities have been directed by the Scottish Ministers to implement MAT Standards 1-5 in community settings by April 2023 to be followed by implementation of all standards, including 6-10, in community settings by April 2024 and to have all standards implemented in justice settings by April 2025.

Update: The 2024/25 National benchmarking report on implementation of MAT standards was published on 17th June 2025.

Due to challenges around data recording and sharing, and the need for continued extensive engagement with justice partners, the timescale for implementation in justice settings had been revised to April 2026. While the justice sector work-programme is now being established, this still represents an ambitious timescale, given remaining significant challenges around staffing capacity as well as information collation and sharing.

Status: In progress (with revised timescale)

No 42

Deliverable: Develop an action plan to respond the findings of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland Thematic Review of the servicing of mental health demand on policing published in October 2023.

Timescale: November 2024

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government, Police Scotland and Scottish Police Authority

In collaboration with - the Policing and Mental Health Partnership Delivery Group.

Further detail: This deliverable will build on the work undertaken as part of deliverable 5 to support police officers in circumstances where a person presents experiencing distress or a mental health crisis and may need specialist intervention. These new actions aim to continue to reduce the need for police officers to respond to mental health incidents by directing people to more appropriate care settings and improving the transfer of care.

Update: On 12 February 2025, the Scottish Government published a Framework for Collaboration and the Partnership Delivery published a cross-sector Collaborative Commitments Plan. The Framework and Plan will support partnership working between services to ensure that those in need are able to access the right service at the right time.

Separate to this deliverable, the development of national guidance and template following the national review of Psychiatric Emergency Plans continues. This is included as an action in the Collaborative Commitments Plan.

Status: Complete

Aim 2: Ensure that robust and high-quality community interventions and public protection arrangements are consistently available across Scotland

Priority Action 3: Support the use of robust alternatives to remand by ensuring high quality bail services are consistently available and delivered effectively

No 8

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 9

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 10

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 43

Deliverable: Progress identified actions to strengthen the consistency, availability and effectiveness of bail services across Scotland.

Timescale: April 2026

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with - justice partners, Community Justice Scotland, victims’ organisations, third sector, and Local Authority representatives through the Strengthening Alternatives to Remand project group

Further detail: This deliverable builds on work undertaken as part of deliverable 10 and is being progressed by the Strengthening Alternatives to Remand project group.

As well as continuing to identify areas for further improvement, the project group will progress the following identified actions:

• Develop and deliver practice training on bail services for Justice Social Work, and design informational materials to build awareness of services among key partners;
• Review the bail assessment process to identify areas for improvement, and publish updated guidance if required;
• Explore the feasibility of providing more focused support for people on bail, through collaboration with third sector partners.

Update: Awareness-raising focussed training for practitioners is due to launch in Summer 2025.

A subgroup within the project has developed a triage approach to highlight cases to be assessed, which will be piloted. Updates to the bail suitability assessment process and guidance are being considered.

Community Justice Scotland is developing an options appraisal for further support for people on bail.

Work is ongoing on further focus areas, including addressing local variation, improving breach processes and cross-authority cooperation, in collaboration with project group stakeholders.

Status: In progress

Priority Action 4: Strengthen options for safe and supported management in the community by increasing the use of electronic monitoring technologies

No 11

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 12

Deliverable: Work with key stakeholders to explore options to optimise the operating model for Home Detention Curfew (HDC) for short-term prisoners. We will seek to achieve this by examining and reviewing current practice, the risk assessment process, the application process, as well as key decision points and the statutory operating protocol.

Timescale: June 2024

Revised in Update 3 to October 2025

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with - SPS, RMA and relevant justice partners

Further detail: The Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023 removes long-term prisoners from the HDC process and introduces a new temporary release licence for that cohort which focuses both on providing more opportunities for structured testing and the provision of further evidence to the Parole Board to inform their decision on whether to recommend release on parole. Release on this licence will be underpinned by risk assessment and consultation with the Parole Board and is intended to support successful reintegration.

HDC remains an important and recognised part of the re-integration process, allowing eligible individuals a supported return to the community in the lead up to their release. Ensuring it operates optimally and functions as intended is critical to its use.

Therefore, short-term prisoners will continue to access HDC and the planned review will explore if any changes to the existing HDC process could better support the re-integration opportunities for this cohort.

Update: Work is ongoing to optimise the operation of the HDC process.

Work with partners over 2024-25 had secured a gradual but significant increase in operation of HDC, rising from circa 50 individuals being on HDC at any one time in January 2024 up to 150 in February 2025.

However, the change of release point for most short-term prisoners to 40% of sentence served in February 2025 caused a substantial reduction in HDC numbers (down to 70 in March, gradually recovering to circa 100 by June).

A Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) was approved by Parliament on 28 June, which will expand the time criteria for HDC. This will enable eligible and approved prisoners to be granted HDC after serving 15% of sentence (down from 25%), which will help realign HDC eligibility with STP releases at 40%. It also increased the maximum permitted HDC period to 210 days (from 180), though this will only impact on small numbers of prisoners. These changes will come into force on 20 Oct 2025.

The Scottish Government (SG) has agreed to support increased staff resources for SPS’ HDC Team, which will boost capacity for HDC casework. SG has also supported additional resources for RMA’s work on training and quality assurance activities for HDC.

Updated operational guidance to agencies involved in HDC has now been drafted and circulated to stakeholders for comment, with plans to publish this summer.

Status: In progress (with revised timescale)

No 44

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

Priority Action 5: Ensure that those given community sentences are supervised and supported appropriately to protect the public, promote desistence from offending and enable rehabilitation by delivering high quality, consistently available, trauma-informed services and programmes

No 13

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 14

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 15

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 16

Deliverable: Complete a review of the principles which underpin the justice social work funding formula which is used to distribute over £100m of community justice in funding annually across 32 Local Authorities. This will help inform the future development of the formula and distribution methodology, including identifying areas for improvement.

This work over the next 12 to 18 months will be led by the Community Justice Funding Review Group (FRG).

Timescale: December 2024

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with - Community Justice Scotland, Social Work Scotland, COSLA, and third sector

Further detail: This deliverable will contribute to ongoing efforts to ensure that consistent, high quality community justice services are available across Scotland, with a continued emphasis on encouraging a shift from custody to community interventions.

This work will include consideration of any particular issues currently impacting on the distribution of justice social work funding and any opportunities which may arise in advance of a more significant review of the funding formula (for example, in relation to the impact of the pandemic and ongoing recovery efforts on workloads).

Update: The review has now concluded. A revised distribution methodology for funding justice social work (JSW) has been agreed by Ministers and COSLA.

This new methodology will be introduced in 2026/27 and local authorities will shortly receive written confirmation (they have been actively involved throughout the process).

Based on JSW feedback, the new formula will be introduced with 2.5% tapering for four years. This will limit the proportionate increase or decrease for services. This is to ensure service continuity and stability, which were key criteria of the review.

Status: Complete

No 17

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 18

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 19

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

Priority Action 6: Ensure restorative justice is available across Scotland to all those who wish to access it by promoting and supporting the appropriate and safe provision of available services

No 20

Deliverable: Increase knowledge and awareness of restorative justice and ability to direct people to appropriate restorative justice services as and when these become available.

Timescale: April 2025

Responsibility: Lead partner - Community Justice Scotland

In collaboration with - Children's and Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ), Scottish Government and community justice statutory partners including Local Authorities and Police Scotland

Further detail: The model for delivery of restorative justice in Scotland requires an effective link with community justice partners, facilitated by local partnerships and local communities to support implementation.

This deliverable aims to support the implementation of the wider commitment to have restorative justice services available across Scotland to all those who wish to access it, at a time that is appropriate to the people and case involved.

Update: The policy and practice framework has been finalised with stakeholders and is awaiting publication.

CYCJ published a report following a survey of practitioners. This aimed to identify service strengths, gaps, and potential partner agencies for the Scottish Government’s Restorative Justice (RJ) test case project.

Further recruitment and running of restorative justice test cases has taken place. Learning from these test cases will inform the future development of RJ services in Scotland.

Awareness raising and engagement activities including delivering inputs to partnerships, hosting RJ practitioner and development forums and communications continued. A quarterly update detailing all the work done by CJS and CYCJ is available and the annual report will be published in the summer.

Updates to the RJ eLearning module aimed at stakeholders and the public were made in relation to accessibility and the addition of further resources.

Status: Outstanding

Aim 3: Ensure that services are accessible and available to address the needs of individuals accused or convicted of an offence

Priority Action 7: Enhance individuals’ access to health and social care and continuity of care following release from prison by improving the sharing of information and partnership-working between relevant partners

No 21

Deliverable: Identify opportunities for supporting continuity of care through the development of suitable Clinical IT solutions, facilitated via the Prisons Digital Health & Care Systems Provisioning Programme.

Timescale: Main changes to be delivered by 2025 with full implementation by 2028

Responsibility: Lead partner - Prisons Digital Health & Care Systems Provisioning Programme Board

In collaboration with - its key stakeholders including Scottish Government, NHS Boards and SPS

Further detail: Having considered the recommendations of an Outline Business Case, the Scottish Government will invest in the development of a suite of Clinical IT solutions for prisons that can be used interactively to support improvements to:

• patient management;
• prescribing and medicines administration;
• access to patient history at point of need; and
• provision of digital continuity of care for external contractors.

This work will commence in June 2023.

Update: The Programme Board continues to meet monthly to ensure progress. Good progress has been made on the new contract for the Prison systems provider, and this is due to be announced in July 2025.

Status: In progress

No 22

Deliverable: Develop and implement a revised Information Sharing Agreement between SPS and NHS Boards.

Timescale: April 2024

Responsibility: Lead partner - SPS

In collaboration with - NHS Boards and Local Authorities

Further detail: Where data on admissions and scheduled liberations is shared, this should enable community health and social care services to liaise with prison health care on admission and to prepare for and meet individual’s needs on release.

Scottish Government is also working with SPS and other stakeholders to identify improvements in processes related to social care in preparation for the National Care Service. This may include data sharing considerations.

Update: The SPS Health Team are progressing this work through regular meetings. While work is underway to update the Memorandum of Understanding, the current information sharing agreement remains extant.

Status: Outstanding

No 23

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 24

Deliverable: Implement the revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between SPS and the NHS.

Timescale: January 2024

Revised in update 1 to March 2024

Responsibility: Lead partners - NHS Boards via National Prison Care Network and SPS

Further detail: The MoU revision will provide improved clarity on the roles and responsibilities of each organisation and be the framework for partnership working and shared practices.

Update: The MoU was approved by the Scottish Health in Custody Oversight Board in December 2024. Since then, further, more detailed work is being undertaken in relation to the roles and responsibilities of each organisation.

Status: Outstanding

Priority Action 8: Ensure that the housing needs of individuals in prison are addressed consistently and at an early stage by fully implementing and embedding the Sustainable Housing on Release for Everyone (SHORE) standards across all local authority areas

No 25

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 26

Deliverable: Continue to support the full implementation of SHORE standards across all prisons and LA areas – including the development of multi-agency arrangements amongst local housing providers (and other public services and third sector organisations).

Timescale: August 2024

Revised in update 2 to December 2024

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with - SPS, Local Authorities, COSLA, ALACHO and other relevant justice partners

Further detail: These arrangements should aim to address the housing and support needs of relevant individuals prior to release and describe the local processes between community justice partners and prisons.

The development should involve the creation of a standardised template to deliver a more collaborative and consistent approach to housing options advice and support. Arrangements should also use the evidence gathered from Local Authority and SPS mapping exercises, as well as any learning from a potential pilot. This work will feed into future discussions with sector stakeholders.

Update: The SHORE Strategic Oversight Group (SOG) met in June. The future direction and work package regarding the implementation of SHORE were discussed with multiple agencies, including local housing providers and justice partners.

Status: Outstanding

No 27

Deliverable: Publish refreshed and updated SHORE standards, which include a focus on a wider range of individuals, and articulating what ‘best practice’ looks like.

This will take into account learning from any potential pilot project, and multi-agency arrangements.

Timescale: November 2025

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with - SPS, Local Authorities, COSLA, ALACHO, Community Justice Scotland and other relevant justice partners

Further detail: Partners that developed the SHORE standards will have the opportunity to contribute to updating the SHORE documents to reflect subsequent developments.

As noted during the development of the SHORE standards, the guidance can be refreshed and developed to better recognise that every individual’s experiences and housing needs may be different, and that measures should be in place to respond effectively to an individual’s differing housing needs.

Update: The refreshed SHORE standards have been published on the SPS website. The refresh includes an updated legislation and policy section and action plan detailing areas for future strategic development.

Status: Complete

Priority Action 9: Enhance individuals’ life skills and readiness for employment by ensuring increased access to employability support through effective education, learning, training, career services and relevant benefit services

No 28

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 29

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 30

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

Priority Action 10: Enhance community integration and support by increasing and promoting greater use of voluntary throughcare and third sector services

No 31

Deliverable: Publish and embed updated operational guidance to justice social work for the delivery of throughcare services.

Timescale: February 2024

Revised in update 2 to September 2024

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with - relevant justice partners including Community Justice Scotland, RMA, third sector, Social Work Scotland and community justice statutory partners, including Local Authorities and SPS

Further detail: This guidance will promote a more consistent approach to pre-release planning and the subsequent support offered to all individuals on their release from prison, by Local Authorities and partner agencies. It will focus on public protection, positive community reintegration and a reduction in further offending.

Update: A small working group of stakeholders facilitated by the Scottish Government have now completed this guidance. Preparation is now underway for this to be published.

Status: Outstanding

No 32

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 33

Deliverable: Continue to promote and enhance multi-agency pre-release planning and co-ordination of activities in support of throughcare. This requires more consistent information sharing practices and consideration of the movement of people between Local Authority and health board areas.

Timescale: December 2024

Revised in Update 3 to June 2025

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with - relevant justice partners including Community Justice Scotland, third sector, RMA, SPS, NHS Boards, Local Authorities and Social Work Scotland

Further detail: The review of guidance, as well as the commissioning project for third sector-delivered voluntary throughcare services, will highlight where any improvements are required.

Work within the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill, relating to pre-release planning, will also guide the development of practice and co-ordination during sentence and in the lead up to release from custody.

Update: The National Voluntary Throughcare Service, Upside, launched on 1 April 2025. Upside consists of 8 third sector organisations and provides voluntary throughcare support for all people leaving custody from short-term sentences, and women leaving a period of remand. Upside will begin support for men on remand from July 2025.

Planning for the implementation of the sections yet to be commenced from Part 2 of the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023 is underway with key partners.

Status: Outstanding

No 51

Deliverable: Support release planning and community integration through the roll-out of Near Me across the prison estate, taking account of risks alongside criminogenic and social care needs

Timescale: March 2027

Responsibility: Lead partner - Social Work Scotland

In collaboration with - Scottish Prison Service, COSLA and Scottish Government

Further detail: Near Me is a video consulting service that uses a web-based system to enable public sector providers to offer video call access to their services. The service saw significant growth during the Covid-19 pandemic and is now regularly used in health services.

Using Near Me in prisons supports timely, meaningful contact between people in prison and their social workers, families, and community supports - helping to ease workforce pressures, improve pre-release planning, and reduce delayed assessments. By enhancing collaboration and continuity, it strengthens reintegration and reduces the risk of reoffending.

Update: Launched at HMP Stirling in July 2024 and expanded to HMP Glenochil in May 2025, the Near Me in Prisons pilot has enabled professionals to maintain regular, flexible contact with individuals in custody. Social workers, third sector mentors, housing officers, advocates, and rehab staff are using the platform to improve pre-release planning, strengthen collaboration, and reduce travel time and costs.

There are now over 230 registered users and more than 35 active virtual waiting areas, including in remote and rural locations. Feedback from both professionals and those in custody has been overwhelmingly positive—citing better communication, stronger relationships, and more responsive support.

SPS has recently approved HMP YOI Polmont as the next site for Near Me, with planning now underway.

Status: In progress

Aim 4: Strengthen the leadership, engagement, and partnership working of local and national community justice partners

Priority Action 11: Deliver improved community justice outcomes by ensuring that effective leadership and governance arrangements are in place and working well, collaborating with partners and planning strategically

No 34

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 35

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 36

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 37

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 45

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 46

Deliverable: Update the national outcomes and standards for Justice Social Work.

Timescale: October 2026

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with – National Outcomes and Standards (NOS) Review Group

Further detail: The current National Outcomes and Standards (NOS) for justice social work are out of date and not reflective of current practice. This deliverable will update NOS to support consistency of service provision across Scotland, and provide increased support and clarity to practitioners.

Update: This work recommenced at the beginning of the year. A draft has been shared with partners for comment. It is also intended to engage with people with lived experience to provide a holistic perspective on the revised standards.

Status: In progress

No 47

Deliverable: Establish a framework for consistently updating Justice Social Work operational guidance.

Timescale: October 2026

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with – Community Justice Scotland, Justice Analytical Services

Further detail: Various pieces of operational guidance, owned by a variety of partners, are currently out of date. To support the workforce to continue to deliver quality practice, we will set out a framework for when guidance documents should be updated.

Update: We will conduct an initial review of all operational guidance to identify priorities. We will then work with stakeholders to establish the wider framework.

This has been paused owing to other pressures but will be reviewed on a regular basis.

Status: In progress

No 48

Deliverable: Undertake a collaborative review to streamline funding reporting and monitoring arrangements for Justice Social Work.

Timescale: November 2026

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with – Funding Review Group

Further detail: A collaborative review is proposed to ensure there is no unnecessary duplication in national funding reporting and, where possible, to streamline reporting arrangements to support JSW managers and practitioners.

Update: A proposed plan and timeline for this work has been drafted.

This has been paused owing to other pressures but will be reviewed on a regular basis.

Status: In progress

No 49

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 50

Deliverable: Identify information required by Justice Social Work at both pre-conviction and pre-sentence stages in order to undertake court reports. Ensure any data sharing agreements required to allow for lawful sharing of this information are in place.

Timescale: March 2025

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with – Social Work Scotland, Police Scotland, Community Justice Scotland, COPFS, SCTS, Risk Management Authority.

Further detail: This deliverable will bring together key stakeholders from across the justice system to consider practice improvements and/or any digital solutions to provide JSW with information that would improve the quality of risk assessments and case management plans. With information from a range of sources, set within the context of past and current behaviours, JSW will be in a stronger position to review suitability for community-based disposals and increase judicial confidence in use of community sentences.

Update: This project has now developed into 3 distinct workstreams:

1. Work with COPFS to pilot sharing of summaries of evidence with JSW in 3 court areas in cases where bail is opposed. This will be evaluated to ascertain whether this improves use of bail with an additional condition of supervision before roll out across the country.

2. Work with COPFS to consider additional information that can be shared with JSW at the point that a case is deferred for a JSWR. Plan is to pilot this later in the year.

3. Work with HMPPS on a MOU for cross border court reports.

Status: Outstanding

Priority Action 12: Enhance partnership planning and implementation by ensuring the voices of victims of crime, survivors, those with lived experience and their families are effectively incorporated and embedded

No 38

Deliverable: Implement the Trauma Informed Justice Knowledge and Skills framework.

Timescale: December 2023

Revised in update 1 to December 2027

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with - justice partners, including Community Justice Scotland, third sector and statutory community justice partners

Further detail: The framework will help justice organisations identify what their staff need to know when responding to victims of crime and witnesses in a trauma-informed way and will inform the development of consistent training in trauma-informed practice. It outlines the knowledge and skills for trauma informed practice needed by all people who work in the justice system to respond to victims and witnesses (including children and young people). It is also designed to support those responsible for the delivery of training to identify key learning objectives for different workforce roles, and to develop and deliver training accordingly.

Those with lived experience have been key to the development of the framework, and this is seen throughout the document.

The Scottish Government is providing additional funding to NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to support organisations implementing the framework. The Victims Taskforce and the relevant workstream will consider how we keep the voice of lived experience throughout the implementation phase.

Update: The Trauma informed Knowledge & Skills project working group taking forward the implementation has completed its first iteration of the monitoring and evaluation process with members reporting progress towards short, medium and long-term activities and outcomes that sit under the six aims of the Framework. The first progress report was shared at the Task force meeting in June 2025.

Status: In progress (with revised timescale)

No 39

Deliverable: Raise awareness of the ‘People at Heart’ approach to communications and the key principles.

Timescale: December 2023

Revised in update 1 to December 2027

Responsibility: Lead partner - Scottish Government

In collaboration with - Community Justice Scotland, third sector and statutory community justice partners including, Police Scotland, SPS, SCTS

Further detail: A review of communications across the justice system was conducted, and a new approach was developed called ‘People at Heart’. The approach is focussed on improving communication between criminal justice agencies and victims and witnesses. It also focuses on ensuring that written communications are empathetic, easy to understand, and empowering, to better engage with victims and witnesses.

This is for anyone working across the justice system.

The Scottish Government will work with local partners and the Victims Taskforce to raise awareness of this work and share relevant materials.

Update: The First Word contract for improving communications with victims and witnesses has been extended to September 2025, providing more opportunity for training. First word has delivered number of training and webinar sessions to justice agencies. The final draft of the People at Heart public facing guidance is currently under development.

The workstream is finalising a set of strategic aims, activity themes and logic model or a ‘theory of change’ towards the workstream’s commitment - implementation of the People at Heart approach and wider changes to communications across the justice system. The scope of the workstream has been widened by inclusion of children and young people within its remit of work.

Status: In progress (with revised timescale)

Priority Action 13: Support integration and reduce stigma by ensuring the community and workforce have an improved understanding of and confidence in community justice

No 40

Deliverable completed – see section ‘Previously completed deliverables’

No 41

Deliverable: Ensure the continued awareness raising and promotion of the National Strategy for Community Justice.

Timescale: November 2026

Responsibility: Lead partner - Community Justice Scotland

In collaboration with - Scottish Government, statutory community justice partners and third sector

Further detail: Community Justice Scotland will continue to champion community justice by taking the lead in promoting the National Strategy for Community Justice. This will involve working collaboratively with national partners to drive change and support improvements in the community justice system, in line with the strategy and to increase public and community awareness and understanding of the benefits of community justice. This deliverable will be reviewed following the required review of the strategy in 2026.

Update:

• CJS relaunched the digital criminal justice guide on 21 May 2025 with updated content and improved accessibility. Since then, it’s had over 2,500 engagements.
• Planning is underway for Community Justice Scotland’s national event in October 2025 (pending speaker and venue availability). The in-person event, Exploring AI’s Role in Modern Justice, will be recorded and shared afterward.
• Over 60 unpaid media placements from January to June 2025, including promotion of the annual CPO report. The CJS Communications Team worked with local areas and press to highlight the social and economic value of community sentencing, resulting in strong coverage.

Status: In progress