3. Review of this bulletin and associated changes
3.1 A wide-ranging review of this bulletin and the content of the analysis was conducted during Autumn 2009. The results of the review, which include a range of requests for additional information and suggestions for changes, are available on the Scottish Government website.
3.2 In response to the review a number of changes have been integrated into the publication of the bulletin and related background data, including the following:
- The analysis associated with motor vehicle offences has been removed from the main bulletin and is instead included in the web tables published alongside the bulletin on the Scottish Government website;
- Additional tables ( 8(c) and 10(b)) have been included in the bulletin to present information on the pattern of sentencing by gender and crime type;
- An additional table ( 10(c)) has been included to show average custodial sentence lengths, by crime type, over time;
- Sub-Scotland level, geographic breakdowns of Tables 4a, 8a and 10 by Police Force Area and Criminal Justice Authority are included in the web tables published alongside the bulletin on the Scottish Government website;
- An update to information first published in July 2009 on Persons given a custodial sentence of 6 months or less, by main crime type and length of sentence.
- A section has been included on the recent Summary Justice Reform programme;
- Publication has been brought forward by almost two months compared to 2007-08.
3.3 This publication will be developed further over the course of the next year and thereafter. We will be seeking users' views again in the future, but are of course happy in the meantime to receive comments, questions and feedback on the changes made so far or any other general enquiries.