5 JUSTICE
BUDGET £1,215.0m
Spend on this portfolio area plays a key role in supporting the achievement of our objective for a safer and stronger Scotland - helping local communities to flourish and to become places to live which offer improved opportunities and a better, safer quality of life. In doing this it makes a major contribution to advancing equality in Scotland and tackling disadvantage, prejudice and discrimination. We are committed to ensuring that equality is embedded throughout all areas of justice spend.
KEY SPENDING PRIORITIES FOR 2010-2011
The key priorities for the portfolio for 2010-11 are briefly described below.
- £136.8m for capital investment to support the ongoing development and modernisation of the Scottish Prison Service - this includes HMP Grampian which will replace HMP Peterhead and HMP Aberdeen; a new prison at Bishopbriggs; and replacement of prisons and facilities which are unfit for purpose;
- Substantial investment in the improvement of immediacy and visibility of community service in preparation for the introduction of the Community Payback Order through the Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill;
- £7.4m to provide for the annual service fee costs in relation to the Firelink project. Firelink is a single wide-area digital communications platform for the FRS and replaced 8 outdated systems with one highly resilient system allowing for multi-agency interoperability;
- Funds to the courts to create fit-for-purpose facilities for court users, improve service delivery and increase access to justice;
- Making an additional 1,000 police officers available in our communities through increased recruitment, improved retention and redeployment
- £32.3m to deliver better drug treatment and support services to promote recovery from drug addiction;
- £170.5m for legal aid ensuring appropriate access to justice;
- £208.3m for centrally funded police costs such as the Scottish Police Services Authority, the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency, and other police support services.
The priority we give to embedding equalities in the day to day work of this portfolio is evidenced in a number of ways including the review of team plans to embed equalities into all areas of work and the routine completion and publication of equality impact assessment ( EQIA) as part of policy development. A very firm commitment to gathering and understanding the data and information we require to embed equalities within our work is evidenced in our analytical programmes. For example we are gathering data on the level of racially motivated crime in Scotland to help us understand better how to tackle this and the new Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (available annually from late 2009) will also contribute significantly to our understanding of issues such as gender and victimisation which will inform future policy.
An example of how we are giving a focus to incorporating equality considerations within the justice system in Scotland has been the work of the Justice Disability Steering Group. The aim of this group is to secure a justice system in which disabled people are and feel fairly treated in accordance with their needs. The group aims to develop ways in which disabled people can get involved in helping to improve access to services across the justice system in Scotland and to draw on their skills and experience to improve the Scottish justice sector for all. The JDSG has recently formed a collaborative partnership with leading disability organisations interested in the justice process. This collaboration will offer a wider perspective and enable the JDSG members to identify what changes are required in each specific organisation.
Drugs and Community safety
CashBack for Communities is the badge for the range of activities which delivers on our commitment to use the funds recovered from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act in a positive and innovative way to expand young people's horizons and increase the opportunities they have to develop their interests and skills in an enjoyable, fulfilling and supported way. This programme works through a range of effective partnerships with Scottish sporting, arts and business associations to provide diversionary activities for young people in Scottish communities. A worker for the Black Community Development Project commented on a valuable outcome of this programme: - " I have been bringing a group of black and minority ethnic children and young people along to the club for the past 2 months, and without a doubt, the Twilight Basketball club has provided a regular safe, supportive and fun space in which young people can start breaking down the boundaries of racism and prejudice that sadly continue to separate them in society."
Our budget will contribute to provide support to promote recovery from drug addiction and to support the access to drug treatment and rehabilitation services. Our strategy recognises the diversity of our communities and the need to be responsive. We will be building on the good work undertaken in developing the Strategy and we look forward to learning from the Assessment being undertaken by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The development of the Drugs Strategy is one of three policy areas on which the Assessment will focus.
The evidence collected has influenced our strategy and informed our spending. An example of equalities work in this area is the £125,000 (made available for bids from local partners) for projects which will enhance black and minority ethnic communities' knowledge and understanding of drug use and its effects on individuals, families and communities
Legal Aid
Another area of the justice budget delivers legal aid which addresses inequalities by ensuring appropriate access to justice for all. The income threshold for civil legal aid was recently raised which means that more than a million more Scots will become potentially eligible for financial help towards court costs for civil actions.
Police Central Government
We have been working to increase the numbers of police in Scotland's police forces by 1,000 - this area of budget spend has a huge impact on society as a whole. On 22 June 2009 the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland published its Equality & Diversity Strategy 2009-2012 - " Celebrating and Valuing Difference", which states ' we will recruit, develop and maintain a skilled workforce that reflects and understands the diverse communities of Scotland''. At the time of publication Chief Constable Ian Latimer said "…. promoting equality and recognising diversity, is fundamental to the success of policing. Understanding, promoting and respecting equality and diversity are key components in creating greater and sustained public confidence and trust in policing, as both a service provider and employer."
Courts Group and Scottish Court Service
Following a positive evaluation of the pilot Domestic Abuse Court in Glasgow, provision is being made to take all domestic abuse cases in Glasgow to specialist courts. Domestic abuse cases will now call at Glasgow Sheriff Court in both a dedicated court room and within specialist mainstream courts. We are working jointly with colleagues in the Equality Unit to support the victims of domestic abuse and their families to access advocacy and support services provided by ASSIST (Advocacy, Support and Information Services Together), who provide a range of services including court liaison and safety planning. Over 5,800 clients and their families have already made use of the service, which has recently been expanded to cover cases throughout the city of Glasgow.
Another example of work in this area is the budget allocated for the Scottish Court Service to ensure the running of courthouses - the service has a particular aim of seeking opportunities to help ensure that court buildings are accessible and supportive environments .
Scottish Prison Service
The Scottish Prison Service is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to the most effective use of all available human resources, valuing everyone's contribution irrespective of gender, marital status, race, age, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation or religion and belief through a programme of equal opportunities that ensures avoidance of discrimination, victimisation and harassment. The SPS continues to monitor and review policies and procedures in line with the published SPS Race Equality Scheme and SPS Disability Equality Scheme which reflects its duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.
Offender Management
We are also clear that that systems and services must be designed to meet all offenders' specific needs. We have for example, been explicit in response to the Inquiry by the Parliament's Equal Opportunities Committee into Female Offenders in the Criminal Justice System Inquiry about embedding the Gender Equality duty across all the workstreams of the Offender Management Programme. This will ensure that we deliver appropriate services to women offenders in a coherent and joined-up way.