On 25 September 2023, JUSTICE hosted a roundtable to discuss the recent Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. Chaired by former JUSTICE Scotland Chair, Shelagh McCall KC, the roundtable was attended by practitioners, academics, victim support organisations, researchers and policymakers, including representatives from the Scottish Government. The purpose of the roundtable was to discuss […]
JUSTICE Scotland has submitted a response to the Scottish Government regarding the Scottish Jury Research findings. We underline the important constitutional role that juries play in criminal trials and raise concerns about reforming aspects of the Scottish jury system. The Research is an interesting piece of work. It provides insight into the relationship between the […]
In JUSTICE Scotland’s view, during the strict lockdown period, it is not realistic to conduct any solemn trials requiring the physical presence of persons in the court room, whether with a jury or with a judge alone. Trials necessarily involve individuals travelling to court and remaining there for some time interacting with others. These features […]
JUSTICE has briefed the Scottish Parliament relating to Schedule 4 of the Bill on justice matters, ahead of Stage 1, and all stages, due to take place on 1st April 2020. We fully appreciate the pressure Scottish Government is under in responding to the outbreak of the coronavirus and understand that the measures proposed in […]
In the Autumn of 2019 Scottish Government consulted on the content and format of the Letter of Rights given to people who are arrested and held in police custody. Revision of the Letter of Rights was a recommendation of the JUSTICE Scotland working party on Legal Assistance in the Police Station. We responded to the […]
This Bill for an Act of the Scottish Parliament making provision about social security. The Bill, which is currently in its second stage, was introduced by the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities, Angela Constance MSP, on 20 June 2017. JUSTICE seeks to raise our concerns regarding the proposed offences set out in Part […]
JUSTICE has urged MSPs to consider the implications of the Government’s proposed repeal of the Human Rights Act 1998 for the Scots legal system. Responding to a call for evidence on the upcoming changes from the European and External Affairs Committee at Holyrood, JUSTICE raises concerns about the likelihood that the proposed reforms will reduce […]
JUSTICE Scotland responded to a Scottish Government consultation on the Letter of Rights for suspects in police detention, a year on from the introduction of the letter. JSUTICE Scotland responded to the last review and were pleased that almost all of our suggestions had been incorporated into the letter. However, now that the EU Directive on […]
In general terms, we welcome the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill as a means of bringing forward reforms to the Scottish criminal justice system, particularly to amend changes brought about through the emergency legislation hastily enacted in response to the Cadder case, in which we intervened, that recognised the right of access to a lawyer during […]
JUSTICE Scotland responded to the Post Corroboration Safeguards Review, the latest in a series of consultations regarding reform of the criminal justice system, this one with respect to necessary safeguards should the corroboration rule be abolished. JUSTICE Scotland Response to the Post Corroboration Safeguards Review– December, 2014