Community Justice East Dunbartonshire Annual Report 2023-2024

The Community Justice East Dunbartonshire Partnership (CJED) brings together statutory, public and third sector organisations working together to reduce reoffending and improve outcomes for people affected by the justice system.

A new National Strategy for Community Justice was published by the Scottish Government in 2022, which set the strategic direction for community justice partnerships across the country. Following this, a revised Community Justice Performance Framework (CJPF) was published in April 2023 and provided the basis for local community justice partners to begin development of a new Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan (CJOIP).

This annual report outlines a range of action taken by community justice partners in East Dunbartonshire over 2023 - 2024 towards each of the priority actions as outlined in the national strategy.

To comply with legislative responsibilities under Section 23 of the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, this report will be issued in two parts.

Part 1: Outlines the progress that the Community Justice Partners have made towards the community justice outcomes as outlined in the CJOIP and the actions outlined in the 2023-24 Delivery Plan, as submitted to CJS using the Community Justice Improvement Tool.

Part 2: Reports on the analysis of data in relation to the national indicators and provides an assessment as to whether the national outcomes are being achieved across East Dunbartonshire, using the Community Justice Performance Framework.

The new CJOIP for the partnership was published in April 2024 and is available on the EDC HSCP website in the Community Justice webpage.

Priority 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.

What does this mean?

Diversion from prosecution is one of the options available to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) after receiving a police report of a person’s alleged offending. A ‘Direct Measure’ like Diversion allows the person to be diverted away from formal justice proceedings and into support from local Justice Social Work (JSW) teams to address the issues and needs contributing to their offending behaviour. This enables intervention to take place at an early stage, rather than waiting for a court process to take place.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

CJED work in this area is driven forward by one of our ‘Delivery Groups’ which contains a range of partners relevant to that area of work. A Prevention Intervention and Diversion (PID) Group was established to focus on elements within the CJOIP relating to diversion from prosecution. Membership includes COPFS, Police Scotland, Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADP), Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Justice Social Work, Early and Effective Intervention, Children and Families Social Work and local third sector and voluntary organisation partners.

In 2023/24 the group discussed the Joint Review of Diversion from Prosecution report and what it means locally; with several of the recommendations incorporated into the CJOIP deliverables.

In the 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan addressing priority areas in the Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan (CJOIP), the partnership committed to:

• Develop a separate local Diversion Improvement Plan based on the recommendations from the Joint Review of Diversion from Prosecution.
• Maintain the level of bespoke support offered to people on Diversion from Prosecution.
• Continue the work of the Prevention Intervention and Diversion subgroup.

A Diversion improvement plan based on 9 of the 34 recommendations from the joint national review, that the partnership agreed could be actioned locally, was developed.

A local action based on Recommendation 5 was to:

‘Organise and deliver multi agency training’.

During the reporting year a diversion from prosecution awareness presentation was delivered to the Community Justice Partnership and a session was delivered to East Dunbartonshire Women’s Aid, more sessions will be organised and delivered to other partners.

As part of Recommendation 8 it was agreed to:

‘Organise and deliver awareness sessions to Police Scotland staff to improve understanding of the Diversion from Prosecution process.’

Five Diversion awareness sessions were delivered to a total of 55 local police officers organised by the Police Local Authority Liaison Officer and delivered by the Community Justice Coordinator.

Working towards recommendation 16 the partnership committed to:

‘Ensure that all engagements and attempted engagements are noted appropriately on the suitability assessment.’

All engagements and attempted engagements with Fail to Connect (FTC) clients are recorded on suitability assessments sent to COPFS. Every effort is made to contact the person, by letter: phone call and home visits, to secure engagement with the person referred.

There has been an increase in Diversion from Prosecution (DfP) in East Dunbartonshire during 2023/24. This can be viewed in the Community Justice East Dunbartonshire  Annual Report Part 2.

DfP cases are supported by a dedicated Social Work Assistant and a Women’s Support Worker commissioned through Sacro this has increased the effectiveness of the scheme.  The dedicated staff support people on the scheme to address their needs and explore the circumstances surrounding their alleged offending behaviour, whilst linking with services and moving people on to positive destinations.

In line with recommendation 22,

‘Finalise and pilot the use of a client completion questionnaire’.

‘Use Client completion questionnaire comments to shape future service’.

An end of Diversion questionnaire was developed and introduced to gather the views of people on DfP and make improvements based on feedback.

During 2023/24, twenty-three people completed an end of DfP questionnaire, all were positive about their time on the Diversion scheme. Responses are as outlined below.

To accomplish Recommendation 32 and in line with Recommendation 22 above.

• The Multi agency Performance Intervention and Diversion (PID) subgroup continues to meet to understand the views of people delivering and supporting diversion as well as monitoring the progress towards the improvement plan and the effectiveness of the Diversion scheme
• The PID group introduced, as part of the measurement of the effectiveness of Diversion from Prosecution in East Dunbartonshire, a mechanism to monitor further criminal activity either during or after engagement in the Diversion scheme
• During the reporting year three people on Diversion committed further offences either during or after their engagement. These were Road Traffic Conviction x 1 Misuse of Drugs Act x2, Bail Offence x 1 and a Recorded Police Warning
• The Community Justice Coordinator represents the partnership on the Sheriffdom COPF meetings where Diversion is discussed at a local and sheriffdom wide level. Attendance at these meetings and hearing from other Loal Authorities in the Sheriffdom, reinforces that the East Dunbartonshire Diversion Scheme is effective
• The Community Justice Coordinator attends the National Diversion from Prosecution Working Group representing the Coordinator Network. The remit of this group is to embed the recommendations from the joint review of DfP. There were 3 meetings during the reporting year.

What does this mean?

The point of arrest and court appearance are crisis points in a person's life. Evidence has shown that people involved in the justice system often have higher levels of vulnerability and complex needs than the general population. Arrest referral schemes can successfully capitalise on a ‘reachable and teachable’ moment to help people engage with support services and address any underlying health or social issues contributing to their offending, such as substance use or mental health issues. In practice, in East Dunbartonshire, this would be achieved through police custody staff, or a third sector agency talking to people who have been arrested and are in a custody centre outwith the local authority area as there are no custody centres in East Dunbartonshire, and, if the person agrees, making a referral to a support agency for them.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

In the 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan addressing priority areas in the Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan (CJOIP), the partnership committed to:

‘Ensure that people in police custody from East Dunbartonshire have their needs identified and receive support to address these needs’.

This is an area that has seen little progress during the reporting year. As there are no police custody centres in East Dunbartonshire there has been difficulty in engaging with Police Scotland on this matter.

An ISA has been signed by both the East Dunbartonshire legal department and Police Service of Scotland (PSoS). The information flow that was outlined in the signed ISA has not been implemented by Police Scotland and resulted in zero referrals. Despite initial meetings with relevant personnel and raising the issues at national forums there has been no progress. A meeting took place with the Police Representative regarding the Positive Outcome Project (POP+) and sharing information on East Dunbartonshire residents in Police Custody. A meeting also took place with SACRO representatives and the East Dunbartonshire ADP Coordinator regarding setting up an Arrest Referral Scheme. Unfortunately, there has been no progress in this area.

This will be further pursued during 2024-25 as a priority in the Year 2-3 delivery plan, with the hope that this area is addressed nationally.

Priority 3 - Support the use of robust alternatives to remand by ensuring high quality bail services are consistently available across Scotland

What does this mean?

The bail supervision scheme is designed to minimise the numbers of accused people held on remand in custody where appropriate. This could be prior to trial / conviction or following conviction where the Court are waiting on reports. It can be used where a level of supervision, monitoring and support may help someone to adhere to bail. It involves:

• Monitoring – There will be a minimum number of times a person must see their Bail Supervision Officer, or another worker outlined in their plan.
• Support / Advice – The Bail Supervision Officer will offer support and advice and refer into partner agencies where needed (e.g. substance use and housing).
• Reporting – Information will be provided to the Court on the person's compliance with the conditions of Supervised Bail. Non-compliance will result in warnings being issued immediately followed by a breach report being submitted to Police Scotland swiftly.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

In the 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan the partnership committed to:

‘Ensure that people in East Dunbartonshire have greater access to bail supervision and co-ordinated support where appropriate’.

During the reporting year, a multi-agency Short Life Working Group was established to develop the Bail Supervision process and implementation plan which included communication to all relevant agencies.

As East Dunbartonshire does not have a court, part of the initial work included the development of in-depth local Practice Guidance, outlining the process when a Bail Assessment request or Bail Opposed Notification is received from one of the numerous courts, all with differing processes, to advise the JSW duty worker how to adjust practice to interview the client, dependent on the requesting Court, and complete the assessment within the short timeframe.

A Bail Supervision service including Electronic Monitoring condition was implemented on 22.5.23

Since implementation there have been issues with Bail Supervision. Information is not being received timeously from either PSoS or COPFS. This is a national issue that is being discussed at the National working group.

The Bail Supervision process will be reviewed as part of the ongoing Justice SW self-evaluation process.

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

What does this mean?

Electronic monitoring (also known as tagging) is a system that uses technology to monitor curfews and conditions of an order or licence from a court or the prison service. Monitoring assists with ensuring a person remains in a specific place for a particular time, be excluded from a specific location, or expected to attend a specific location within a timeframe. Electronic monitoring can be tailored to specific conditions related to the person (e.g. restrictions only at evenings / weekends or to avoid people / places which may be detrimental to them). It can be imposed as a standalone option of Bail or as an addition to Bail Supervision.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

This has been prioritised through the 2023-26 Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan to be actioned as part of the 2024-25 Delivery Plan.

‘Strengthen options for safe and supported management in the community by increasing and widening the use of electronic monitoring technologies in East Dunbartonshire’.

Assessment for Electronic Monitoring is part of the Bail Supervision assessment process.

During the reporting year there were two people in East Dunbartonshire, one male and one female, who had Electronic Monitoring as part of their Bail Supervision.

Meetings have been held with G4S to deliver EM information sessions to both the CJ Partnership and the JSW team in 2024/25.

Priority 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.

What does this mean?

We know from evidence and research that community interventions are more effective than short prison sentences. After a person is convicted of an offence, one of the options available to the court is to impose a Community Payback Order (CPO). Using a CPO where appropriate, allows a person to serve their sentence in the community rather than in prison. A CPO will contain one or more of 10 requirements including unpaid work, alcohol / drug treatment and supervision, delivered by JSW. Unpaid work provides people with a constructive means to repair harm caused by their involvement in offending. It involves 'making good' to the victim and / or the community via engagement in rehabilitative work. Reparation via unpaid work supports the strengthening of relationships with others in the community, improves employability where appropriate, and supports the development of a new pro-social identity.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

In the 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan the partnership committed to:

‘Ensure that those given community sentences in East Dunbartonshire 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.’

This will be continued over the lifespan of the 2023-26 CJOIP and beyond.

‘Ensure the consistent availability of local programmes to support desistance.’

• Justice services in East Dunbartonshire piloted the Moving Forward Two Change (MF2C) Programme to address the risk of sexual harm to the community early in 2023. This evidenced based programme was designed to replace the Moving Forward Making Changes (MFMC) Programme, for men convicted of sexual offences. The MF2C programme aims to reduce the risk of sexual recidivism and promote desistance by utilising evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based approaches informed by additional therapies and techniques such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Compassionate Mind Training (CMT) and Mindfulness. Positive approaches are further incorporated (Good Lives Model, Desistance, and Life Course) to target criminogenic needs in a strengths-based and trauma informed framework.
• Having successfully completed the pilot, MF2C was rolled out in East Dunbartonshire HSCP and Council for all service users convicted of sexual offences who have a programme requirement stipulated by the court.
• The programme is delivered twice per week, one daytime and one evening session delivered by trained JSW and sessional SPS staff.
• MFMC continues to be delivered by trained JSW group facilitators on a 1-1 or 2-1 basis.
• Due to the delivery model of MF2C where it is delivered on a 2-1 basis for those assessed as not suitable for group work, this has resource implications for the JSW team, as the case manager cannot be one of the two facilitators.
• To support desistance from the perpetration of Domestic Abuse, East Dunbartonshire JSW introduced and deliver the Up2U Creating Healthy Relationships perpetrator programme. The programme is for men who use domestically abusive behaviours in their intimate partner relationships.  It is suitable for men age 16+ and for people in same sex relationships – who are subject to a standard supervision requirement within a Community Payback Order or licence condition. The programme has been delivered since 2019 and can be delivered on a group or 1-to-1 basis.

‘Ensure the availability of referral pathways to support the needs of the local population on community disposals’

• Referral pathways are in place for all relevant key partner agencies to support the complex needs of people in contact with the justice system whether it is housing, addiction, mental health or other issues. This will be further evidenced through the end of order questionnaire comments below.
• There are plans to make the JSW office a ‘One Stop Shop’ where partner agencies and services will see clients in the JSW office, this initiative will be progressed further in 2024/25.

‘Ensure mechanisms are in place to understand the views of people with experience of community disposals to support service improvement’

During the reporting year 12 people who were subject to supervision through a CPO or licence completed an end of order questionnaire. The questions used are outlined below with examples of comments made by people.

During the reporting period 18 people who were subject to Unpaid Work (UPW) as part of a CPO completed an end of order questionnaire. The questions used are outlined below with examples of comments made by people.

• Clients’ comments are taken onboard in order to improve the service
• The Justice Social Work Team hold regular practice development sessions as part of the ongoing self-evaluation and quality assurance of the service.

Priority 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

What does this mean?

Restorative justice brings those harmed by crime or conflict and those responsible for the harm into communication, enabling everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward.

Restorative justice has many, evidence-based benefits for those who experience harm and those who cause harm, their families and communities. This includes choice, empowerment, voice, recovery, improved wellbeing and desistance from causing further harm.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

This priority action was identified by Scottish Government as requiring nationally-driven actions as set out by the community justice strategy delivery plan. Given this is a developing area that does not have a national outcome, as a partnership we are awaiting guidance from the national implementation team before discussing and deciding which partner/s would be best placed to develop and introduce a service in East Dunbartonshire, over the lifespan of this CJOIP. CJS do not expect many local areas to have undertaken significant activity in relation to this area.

As a partnership we will ensure:

• We take cognisance of the National Action Plan.
• Engage with the RJ Implementation Team
• Develop an RJ service as and when appropriate to do so.

Priority 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

What does this mean?

There are many complex needs for which individuals require person-centred support on entering and leaving custody. Collaborative working across multi-agency partnerships is required to ensure that both relevant information is made available on admission to support the healthcare needs of individuals while they are in custody, and that transition from custody to community is seamless, with health needs supported to ensure successful reintegration where people do not experience stigma and discrimination upon accessing services. An example of this is working to ensure all people released from prison are registered with a GP in their local area and helping to facilitate this if necessary.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

The 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan committed the partnership to:

‘Ensure that people’s needs are addressed prior to release from a custodial sentence’

‘Ensure that people in East Dunbartonshire have greater access to co-ordinated support where appropriate on release’.

‘Continue to case manage people’s needs through the Reintegration Group’

‘’Ensure Community Justice Services are responsive to the specific needs of women.’

The Multi Agency Reintegration Group continues to meet every six weeks to case manage scheduled releases from a custodial sentence. The group ensures that all aspects required to support the person on release are set up and in place prior to their release. Support is offered for non-statutory releases through voluntary throughcare offers. Of the 33 people who were released from a custodial sentence from April 2023 to March 2024, the group achieved 57% engagement of individuals referred through the above group to alcohol and drug recovery services and a positive outcome for 80% of the individuals referred through the above group to the Housing and Homelessness Service, 18% of released residents had a statutory Justice social work intervention.

Priority 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

What does this mean?

We know that people who have access to stable housing are less likely to offend, and that people who are leaving prison are often without a permanent address and in need of support from local housing services to find accommodation. The SHORE standards were developed to ensure that everyone has access to sustainable housing when they are released which will in turn reduce homelessness and re-offending rates.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

The 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan set out that the partnership would commit to:

‘Ensure that people’s needs are addressed prior to release from a custodial sentence’

‘Ensure that people in East Dunbartonshire have greater access to co-ordinated support where appropriate on release’.

‘Continue to case manage people’s needs through the Reintegration Group’

‘Ensure Community Justice Services are responsive to the specific needs of women.’

The Housing representative who attends the Reintegration subgroup is the Homelessness SHORE standards officer who has a wealth of experience supporting people returning to East Dunbartonshire after serving a custodial sentence. As reported above there was a positive outcome for 80% of the individuals referred through the Reintegration Group to the Housing and Homelessness Service.

The biggest challenge is that night shelter/hostel and Rapid Access are deemed suitable as per housing/homelessness legislation. However, some applicants are not suitable for this type of accommodation due to type of crime committed and other risk concerns. This has caused concerns with other partners that work to different legislation.

During 2023/24 the Homelessness and Prevention Team provided housing options advice to households entering/leaving prison.

• 6 applicants were supported to make a homeless application.  Of the 6 applicants 3 required temporary accommodation and properties were identified as/when required.
• 4 applicants were provided with housing options advice.
• 6 tenants living in settled accommodation were provided with advice/assistance to sustain their tenancies upon release.

The Homelessness and Prevention Team have a dedicated Officer to ensure that advice/support is given prerelease. Housing Support is offered to all homeless households.

Due to the recent increase in homelessness across Scotland and high demand for temporary accommodation in the area where applicants don’t engage during pre-release timescales it is difficult for the Council to offer self-contained accommodation.  As a result, some applicants have been offered Rapid Access Accommodation and/or hostel/night shelter.

Of the 145 homeless applicants housed during 23/24; 9 (6%) did not stay in their settled accommodation tenancies longer than 12 months.  Of the 9; 1 of the household’s reason for homelessness was release from prison.  The applicant left following threats of violence and applied out with the area to be rehoused

Priority 9 - Enhance individual's life skills and readiness for employment by ensuring increased access to employability support through effective education, learning, training, career services and relevant benefit services

What does this mean?

Having a job has been shown to reduce someone’s likelihood of offending. Therefore, supporting individuals to undertake training and education pathways with a view to accessing, retaining and sustaining employment before, during and after they are involved in the justice system is critical.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

The 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan set out that the partnership would commit to:

‘Work in collaboration with the local employability partnership (LEP) to ensure the employment readiness needs of people in contact with the Justice system are met.’

There is an effective link between the Local Employability Partnership (LEP) and the Community Justice Partnership which resulted in the introduction and funding of the ‘Make it Work’ initiative. There is cross representation on both partnerships, this includes Skills Development Scotland and the CJ Coordinator. This relationship continues to flourish. Due to the successful introduction and operation of the project, the ‘Make it Work’ initiative funding has been continued into 2023/24 by the Local Employability Partnership (LEP) through the No One Left Behind (NOLB) fund.

A specific women’s support group ‘Taking the Next Step’ was developed and introduced during the reporting year as part of the ‘Make it Work’ project.

An employment advisor is co-located within Justice Services and takes referrals from Justice Social Workers (JSW) for clients on Community Payback Orders as well as supporting clients on DfP, and on release from custody as a member of the Reintegration Group.

During 2023/24 there were:

• Progressions (Starts on service) – 26
• Qualifications – 22 (from 7 clients)
• FE/HE/Training – 7
• Volunteering – 3
• Work Placement - 1
• Job Starts – 8

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

What does this mean?

Throughcare support exists to help people re-engage with communities and public services they may have disconnected from while in prison. Throughcare is delivered on either a statutory basis (people who have served a long term (4+ years) prison sentence or were convicted of a sexual offence must work with throughcare services, usually delivered by Local Authority Justice Services) or a voluntary basis (people who have served a sentence under 4 years are eligible to receive voluntary support from JSW or from third sector organisations).

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

Voluntary Throughcare letters are sent to all residents, who are not open to Justice Social Work on a statutory order, prior to release from a custodial sentence along with a list of key support services. Of the 33 people who were released from a custodial sentence from April 2023 to March 2024, 17 were offered voluntary throughcare, 5 (29%) took up the offer and engaged with JSW on a voluntary basis on release.

New Routes

Four people signed up with and engaged with the New Routes service on release from a custodial sentence.

This has enabled people to get further ongoing support with specific issues and referrals to other specialist agencies.

Priority 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

What does this mean?

The Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 names a range of statutory services who are responsible for progressing local efforts towards the national aims. The outcomes which the National Strategy for Community Justice is aiming for can only be achieved by these services working together. Strong, inclusive and innovative leadership is required, at both local and national level, with effective accountability and communication mechanisms between national organisations and their representatives driving community justice partnership activity locally, in addition to collective local partnership accountability arrangements.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

The 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan set out that the partnership would commit to:

‘Deliver improved community justice outcomes by ensuring that effective leadership and governance arrangements are in place and working well.’

‘Implement the Community Justice Performance Framework & Improvement Tool and use this evidence to review and prioritise outcomes and actions annually.’

• The 2023-26 Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan (CJOIP) was developed, agreed and published during the reporting year.
• Identified areas were prioritised across the lifespan of the CJOIP, with an annual delivery plan for 2023-24 focussing on actions to work towards the priority areas identified for Year 1 to 2.
• The CJOIP includes a participation statement that was shared by Community Justice Scotland as an example of good practice.
• There are five representatives from non-statutory third sector organisations that attend the Community Justice Partnership. The Third Sector Interface also attends the partnership representing the voluntary organisations in East Dunbartonshire.
• Other non-statutory partners are represented on both the Reintegration and Prevention Intervention and Diversion subgroups.
• However, some responses to the self-evaluation questionnaire on Key are 6, outlined below highlights that there are improvements to be made in this area.

‘I feel that there is probably more a culture of consultation rather than co-production.’

‘Third sector partners are recognised as being valuable partners, but active involvement in strategic planning and delivery is not embedded. Third sector partner participation is limited to being consulted and there is limited evidence of co-productive approaches that reflect equality of partnerships’

The 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan also set out that the partnership would:

‘Ensure all Partners understand their collective statutory responsibilities under the Act’.

‘Carry out a self-evaluation of the partnership at regular intervals to ensure the partnership functions effectively and efficiently.’

‘Develop an improvement plan based on the areas for improvement highlighted in the initial self-evaluation’

At the latter end of the reporting year Community Justice East Dunbartonshire embarked on a self-evaluation of the partnership focussing initially on quality indicators 6 through 9 from the Care Inspectorate CJSE tool. The initial step was in the distribution of a questionnaire focussed on Key area 6. The responses were collated into a report for the partnership and circulated for discussion. The intention is to repeat this process for Key areas 8 and 9 in the next reporting year along with facilitated in person sessions. Discussion is taking place with the Senior Organisational Development Advisor for the Health and Social Care Partnership to facilitate this piece of work in collaboration with the partnership.

Priority 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

What does this mean?

It is vitally important that the services delivering community justice are planned with the thoughts and experiences of the people impacted by crime. To understand what is important to our communities and to promote inclusivity, community justice partners should ensure that those with lived experience of the justice system, including victims of crime, have the opportunity to appropriately and effectively participate. Their experience should be represented to help inform policy development, implementation, and the design and delivery of services.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

The 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan set out that the partnership would:

‘Ensure Community Justice Services are responsive to the specific needs of women.’

• During the reporting year, JSW partners have continued to commission a women’s support worker from SACRO. The role supports the women on statutory orders and Diversion from Prosecution
• In partnership with the Lennox Partnership, the women’s support worker facilitates the ‘Taking the Next Step’ women’s group.

‘Explore options to improve outcomes for women whose lives are affected by all forms of gender-based violence’

• There remains a strong relationship between CJED and East Dunbartonshire Women’s Aid (EDWA)
• There is an EDWA representative on the partnership and good engagement and relationships
• All DA issues raised through the Reintegration Group are communicated with EDWA for victim/survivor safety.
• The CJ coordinator has chaired the Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership (Empowered) meetings and attends the National VAWG network
• Domestic abuse training delivered by EDWA, was offered to the workforce via the joint training calendar this included attendance by partner agencies.

‘Include the voices of women in this process by meeting with, and engaging with, survivors of domestic and sexual abuse’

• This is an area that is being progressed in partnership with East Dunbartonshire Women’s Aid. Case studies will be collected from survivors, during their peer support groups, telling the story of how they were treated by the justice system
• There is also cross representation on the Community Justice Partnership and the Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership. This will be carried forward into 2024/25.

‘Work with Victim organisations to empower people affected by crime.’

• All victim issues are taken into consideration by JSW partners when compiling reports and working with clients
• Known victim issues are taken into account by the Reintegration Group when discussing scheduled releases
• Victim Support Scotland are represented on CJED
• However, this is an area that needs strengthened.

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

What does this mean?

Despite around 1 in 5 adults in Scotland having a criminal conviction, people involved in the justice system can experience significant levels of stigma, particularly if they have been in prison. This stigma can adversely impact someone’s employability, social ties, housing stability etc. By increasing the knowledge of the effectiveness of community justice, and the various underlying needs which can impact someone’s criminal behaviour, we can reduce stigma and make it easier for people to re-integrate with communities.

What partnership activity took place in 2023-24 towards this priority?

The 2023/24 Local Delivery Plan set out that the partnership would:

‘Work in collaboration with the ADP to embed Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards in Community Justice.’

• A joint implementation group established with ADP Coordinator GGC MAT standards project manager and CJ Coordinator to ensure that MAT 1-5 are embedded in JSW and Community Justice partner settings. This work is ongoing
• There is cross representation on both CJED and the ADP and working groups
• There is representation from CJED on the various ADP working groups e.g. The substance use prevention group, the suicide prevention group where we working partnership to reduce stigma.

There is good collaboration between the different strategic partnerships in East Dunbartonshire

• There is cross representation on the Community Justice Partnership and the Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership. The CJ coordinator has chaired the Violence Against Women and Girls Partnership (Empowered) meetings and attends the National VAWG network
• Representatives from both CJED and the Community Safety Partnership work in collaboration towards the Outcomes in the Local Outcome Improvement Plan
• CJED partners attend the Promise steering group and the Safe and Together steering group as well as the Child Protection Committee and the Adult Protection Committee meetings
• Partners also attend the Public Protection leadership group meetings
• There is strong representation on the East Dunbartonshire ACEs and Trauma Collaborative (EDACT).

The Community Justice East Dunbartonshire Partnership (CJED) brings together statutory, public and third sector organisations working together to reduce reoffending and improve outcomes for people affected by the justice system.

A new National Strategy for Community Justice was published by the Scottish Government in 2022, which set the strategic direction for community justice partnerships across the country. Following this, a revised Community Justice Performance Framework (CJPF) was published in April 2023 and provided the basis for local community justice partners to begin development of a new Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan (CJOIP).

This annual report outlines a range of action taken by community justice partners in East Dunbartonshire over 2023 - 2024 towards each of the priority actions as outlined in the national strategy.

To comply with legislative responsibilities under Section 23 of the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, this report will be issued in two parts.

Part 1: Outlines the progress that the Community Justice Partners have made towards the community justice outcomes as outlined in the CJOIP and the actions outlined in the 2023-24 Delivery Plan, as submitted to CJS using the Community Justice Improvement Tool.

Part 2: Reports on the analysis of data in relation to the national indicators and provides an assessment as to whether the national outcomes are being achieved across East Dunbartonshire, using the Community Justice Performance Framework.

The new CJOIP for the partnership was published in April 2024 and is available on the EDC HSCP website in the Community Justice webpage.

The national strategy sets out four national aims for community justice, with 13 priority actions sitting underneath these, which the Scottish Government and Community Justice Partners should progress to deliver over the duration of the strategy. Effective coordination and collaboration are key to achieving these aims.

The CJPF states:

• 9 nationally determined outcomes which are to be achieved in each area.
• 4 priority areas do not have nationally determined outcomes at present.
• 10 national indicators which are to be used to measure performance in achieving the outcomes.

In addition to the nine national indicators which are each directly linked to one of the nine national outcomes, there is also a high-level national indicator.

The National Outcomes, National indicators and desired Indicator Direction are outlined below.

Priority Areas: 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.

National Outcomes: More people successfully complete diversion from prosecution.

National Indicators: Number of diversion from prosecution:

• Assessments undertaken
• Cases commenced
• Cases successfully completed.

Priority Areas: 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 

National Outcomes: More people in police custody receive support to address their needs 

National Indicators: Number of referrals from custody centres

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

National Outcomes: More people are assessed for and successfully complete bail supervision 

National Indicators: Number of:

• Assessment reports for bail suitability
• Bail supervision cases commenced
• Bail supervision cases completed.

Priority Areas: Strengthen options for safe and supported management in the community by increasing and widening the use of electronic monitoring technologies.

National Outcomes: No nationally determined outcome.

National Indicators: N/A

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

National Outcomes: More people access services to support desistance and successfully complete community sentences .

National Indicators: Percentage of:

• Community payback orders
successfully completed
• Drug treatment and testing orders successfully completed

Priority Areas: 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 

National Outcomes: No nationally determined outcome.

National Indicators: N/A

Priority Areas: 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.

National Outcomes: More people have access to, and continuity of, health and social care following release from a prison sentence .

National Indicators: Number of transfers in drug/alcohol treatments from:

• Custody to community

Priority Areas: 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 

National Outcomes: More people have access to suitable accommodation following release from a prison sentence 

National Indicators: Number of:

• Homelessness applications where prison was the property the main applicant became homeless from

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

National Outcomes: More people with convictions access support to enhance their readiness for employment 

National Indicators: Percentage of:
• Those in employability services with convictions

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

National Outcomes: More people access voluntary throughcare following a short-term prison sentence 

National Indicators: Number of:

• Voluntary throughcare cases commenced

Priority Areas: 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.

National Outcomes: No nationally determined outcome.

National Indicators: N/A

Priority Areas: 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.

National Outcomes: No nationally determined outcome.

National Indicators: N/A

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

National Outcomes: More people across the workforce and in the community understand, and have confidence in, community justice 

National Indicators: Percentage of people who agree that:

• People should help their community as part of a community sentence rather than spend a few months in prison for a minor offence.

This indicator looks at the disposal grouping split – the outcome of the case at court, comparing the proportion of custody disposals to other disposal groups including community disposals. The desire is to see a decrease in the percentage of custody disposals.

This information is updated and published quarterly by Scottish Government analysts and can be viewed here.

The charts below show the percentage of disposals issued at charge level in Scottish criminal courts and the number of disposals respectively. Information is not included on charges for which the accused is not convicted. Disposals are grouped into ‘Community’ (including CPO, RLO, DTTO), ‘Custody’, ‘Monetary’ (including fines and compensation), and ‘Other’ (including admonishments, absolute discharges).

You can see the use of ‘Custody’, for East Dunbartonshire residents. has fluctuated across the timespan. This peaked in 2020-21 to 15.9% with a marked decrease to 6% in 2022-23 before increasing to 10% in 2023-24.

This is in line with the national trend, which reduced from a peak of 13.5% in 2018-19 to 9.7% in 2022-23 before increasing to 11.5% last year.

Custody is consistently the least used. ‘Other’ appears to be increasing, as it is across Scotland, representing over half of disposals last year, while ‘Monetary’ has generally decreased. The use of ‘Community’ disposals has been more consistent.

Priority 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.

National Outcome - More people successfully complete diversion from prosecution

National Indicators- Number of diversion from prosecution:

• assessments undertaken
• cases commenced
• cases successfully completed

Diversion from prosecution is one of the options available to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) after receiving a police report of a person’s alleged offending. A ‘Direct Measure’ like Diversion allows the person to be diverted away from formal justice proceedings and into support from local Justice Social Work (JSW) teams and partners to address the issues and needs contributing to their offending behaviour. This enables intervention to take place at an early stage, rather than waiting for a court process to take place.

There has been an increase in the number of diversion assessments undertaken over the time period. In the last year there has been a reduction, however this correlates to the number of referrals received from COPFS over the same time period. There was a reduction in 2023/24 of 13% compared to 2022/23.

This general increase is in line with national figures - the Scotland-wide number of diversion assessments undertaken has increased consistently over this period from 2526 in 2017-18 to 5,636 last year.

Similarly, at a national level, the number of diversion cases commenced has generally increased from 1725 in 2017-18 to a peak of 3,308 last year. The chart above shows this data for East Dunbartonshire, and you can see that although there was a decrease in 2018-19 there has been a steady increase since. 96% of suitability assessments resulted in a commencement on Diversion.

If we assess as a rate of the population to compare against other areas, we can see that last year East Dunbartonshire had the 21st highest rate of diversion cases commenced in the country at 7.2%.

Number of Cases Successfully Completed

The final chart above shows the number of successfully completed diversion cases. These have fluctuated over the years with a low of 7 in 2018-19 and a peak of 47 in 2020-21. There has been a 14% increase from last year’s figure from 32 to 46 successful completions. Nationally there has been a steady increase in completed diversion cases from 1367 in 2017-18 to 2333 last year.

It should be noted that commencements and completions do not always occur within the same reporting year e.g. 6 cases commenced in 2022-23 were successfully completed in 2023-24, similarly there were 13 cases ongoing at the end of March 2023-24.

CJED Outcome Assessment: The number of assessments undertaken shows no emerging pattern where the desired direction is to increase

The number of commencements shows an emerging pattern of increase in line with the desired direction.

The number of completions shows an emerging pattern of increase in line with the desired direction

Priority 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

National Outcome- More people in police custody receive support to address their needs.

National Indicator- Number of referrals from custody centres

Many of those brought into custody in Scotland tend to be vulnerable, have experienced trauma in their lives and often have health problems. To address health needs and to help to provide routes into treatment or other support is a key factor of the healthcare provided in the custody setting.

Arrest referral schemes can successfully capitalise on a ‘reachable and teachable’ moment to help people engage with support services and address any underlying health or social issues contributing to their offending, such as substance use or mental health issues. Currently, arrangements for sourcing the data required for this national indicator are still being made and so robust data is not yet available. There are 29 primary police custody centres and a number of ancillary centres across the country. The custody centres cover 32 local authority areas, and while they do not always align with local authority boundaries, there is no custody centre or ancillary centre in East Dunbartonshire.

The use of email-based arrest referral pathways is intended to mitigate this and allows for people to have a direct pathway to a support service in the local authority where they live. The figures provided are taken from the number of Support Service Arrest Referral forms shared with the National Healthcare and Interventions team within Police Scotland. Some of the support service data returns covers more than one local authority and the data cannot be separated into each local authority. This is an improvement that is being progressed. A few local authorities have a nil return, but residents from within that local authority may have been referred to a national level Support Service. These have been included in the Scotland level figure rather than the local authority figure.

At present these figures do not include referrals made by healthcare staff, or those referrals made

directly between the support service link worker and the person in custody.

The geography is at local authority level where this is possible. This has been identified by using the postal town of the person being referred supplied on the referral form. There will be some slight under coverage in local authority returns for example, if the person is referred to a national level Support Service.

It is advised that new data collection procedures are being introduced during 2024-25. Comparison to 2023-24 should therefore be avoided.

 It is advised that 2024-25 figures should be considered as the base.

CJED Outcome Assessment: The number of referrals from police custody shows no emerging pattern due to insufficient data. The desired direction is to increase.

Priority 3 - Support the use of robust alternatives to remand by ensuring high quality bail services are consistently available across Scotland

National Outcome - More people are assessed for and successfully complete bail supervision

National Indicators- Number of:

• Assessment reports for bail suitability
• Bail supervision cases commenced
• Bail supervision cases completed

The bail supervision scheme is designed to minimise the numbers of accused people held on remand in custody where appropriate. This could be prior to trial / conviction or following conviction where the Court are waiting on reports. It can be used where a level of supervision, monitoring and support may help someone to adhere to bail.

The number of assessment reports for bail suitability has only been collected and published for the last two years. You can see in the chart above there has been a significant decrease in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23. In 2022-23 85% of reports recommended that bail was not suitable.

Across Scotland, the number of assessment reports increased - from 4,538 in 2022-23 to 5,532 in 2023-24.

The chart above shows the annual number of bail supervision cases commenced. As reported in the Community Justice East Dunbartonshire Annual Report Part 1, Bail supervision including Electronic Monitoring was introduced on 22.5.23. Despite the number of suitability assessment reports decreasing to six, from thirteen in 2022/23, 50% of these cases commenced, one with supervision only and two with supervision and Electronic Monitoring (EM).

The final chart above shows the annual number of bail supervision cases successfully completed. This data is also only available for the last two years. This year there was an increase. 100% of cases commenced were successfully completed. 

Nationally the figure more than doubled from 348 in 2022-23 to 831 in 2023-24

CJED Outcome Assessment: The number of suitability assessments shows no emerging pattern where the desired direction is to increase.

The number of commencements shows an emerging pattern of increase in line with the desired direction.

The number of completions shows an emerging pattern of increase in line with the desired direction.

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

No nationally determined outcome or Indicators

Electronic monitoring (also known as tagging) is a system that uses technology to monitor curfews and conditions of an order or licence from a court or the prison service. Monitoring assists with ensuring a person remains in a specific place for a particular time, be excluded from a specific location, or expected to attend a specific location within a timeframe. Electronic monitoring can be tailored to specific conditions related to the person (e.g. restrictions only at evenings / weekends or to avoid people / places which may be detrimental to them). It can be imposed as a standalone option of Bail or as an addition to Bail Supervision.

As reported above, there were two cases of Bail Supervision with Electronic Monitoring during 2023/24. During the reporting period there were seven Community Assessment Reports were  requested from and submitted to the Scottish Prison Service for Home Detention Curfew.

Priority 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.

Nationally determined outcome: More people access services to support desistence and successfully complete
community sentences

National indicator - Percentage of:

• Community payback orders successfully completed
• Drug treatment and testing orders successfully completed

We know from evidence and research that community interventions are more effective than short prison sentences. After a person is convicted of an offence, one of the options available to the court is to impose a Community Payback Order (CPO). Using a CPO where appropriate, allows a person to serve their sentence in the community rather than in prison. A CPO will contain one or more of 10 requirements including unpaid work, alcohol / drug treatment and supervision, delivered by JSW. Unpaid work provides people with a constructive means to repair harm caused by their involvement in offending. It involves 'making good' to the victim and / or the community via engagement in rehabilitative work. Reparation via unpaid work supports the strengthening of relationships with others in the community, improves employability where appropriate, and supports the development of a new pro-social identity.

These are based on locally sourced figures as the National figures have not been released .

The percentage of community payback orders successfully completed has fluctuated over the time period. There has been a reduction compared to last year. The source of this data is justice social work. The percentage of successfully completed orders is calculated as: [(Number of orders completed successfully plus those subject to early discharge in the financial year)] DIVIDED BY [(Number of orders terminated in financial year minus Number of orders terminated in the financial year due to being transferred to another area)]

As can be seen in the graph below, the actual number of community payback orders successfully completed although showing a reduction over the timeframe, has remained consistent over the last 3 reporting years.

The number of Drug Treatment and Testing orders have always been low in East Dunbartonshire with a maximum of two orders in any given year over the timeframe.

Individual suitability and local use of DTTO is nuanced and complex. The prevalence of DTTOs can be displaced by the use of Structured Deferred Sentences with a total of 19 during the reporting year. There were also eight CPOs with conduct requirements that stipulated engagement with treatment to address addiction issues.

CJED Outcome Assessment: The percentage of CPO completions shows an emerging pattern of increase in line with the desired direction.

The small numbers of DTTOs means that the percentage of completions is not statistically valid.

Priority 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 nationally determined outcome or Indicators

Restorative justice brings those harmed by crime or conflict and those responsible for the harm into communication, enabling everyone affected by a particular incident to play a part in repairing the harm and finding a positive way forward.

Restorative justice has many, evidence-based benefits for those who experience harm and those who cause harm, their families and communities. This includes choice, empowerment, voice, recovery, improved wellbeing and desistance from causing further harm.

Priority 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

Nationally determined outcome: More people have access to, and continuity of, health and social care following release from a prison sentence

National indicator

Number of transfers in drug/alcohol treatments from:

• Custody to community

There are many complex needs for which individuals require person-centred support on entering and leaving custody. Collaborative working across multi-agency partnerships is required to ensure that both relevant information is made available on admission to support the healthcare needs of individuals while they are in custody, and that transition from custody to community is seamless, with health needs supported to ensure successful reintegration where people do not experience stigma and discrimination upon accessing services. An example of this is working to ensure all people released from prison are registered with a GP in their local area and helping to facilitate this if necessary.

Data for this indicator is available for the last three years. There has been a decrease in the number of continuations of care referrals from prison to community.

Priority 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

National Outcome - More people have access to suitable accommodation following release from a prison sentence

National Indicator - Number of homelessness applications where prison was the property the main applicant became homeless from
We know that people who have access to stable housing are less likely to offend, and that people who are leaving prison are often without a permanent address and in need of support from local housing services to find accommodation. The SHORE standards were developed to ensure that everyone has access to sustainable housing when they are released which will in turn reduce homelessness and re-offending rates.

This indicator measures the number of homelessness applications made to East Dunbartonshire by people on release from prison. We are aiming to decrease this number by ensuring people leave prison with suitable accommodation to return to as outlined in the CJED Annual Report Part 1.

In East Dunbartonshire, over the last seven years, annual figures have fluctuated year on year from 10 to 5 applications per annum.
It should be noted that figures are rounded to the nearest 5 for disclosure control purposes.

CJED Outcome Assessment: The number of homelessness applications where prison was the prop-erty the main applicant became homeless from, shows no emerging pattern where the desired direc-tion is to decrease.

Priority 9 - Enhance individual's life skills and readiness for employment by ensuring increased access to employability support through effective educa-tion, learning, training, career services and relevant benefit services

Nationally determined outcome: More people with convictions access support to enhance their readiness for Employment

National indicator
Percentage of those in No One Left Behind (NOLB) employability services with convictions

Having a job has been shown to reduce someone’s likelihood of offending. Therefore, supporting individuals to undertake training and education pathways with a view to accessing, retaining and sustaining employment before, during and after they are involved in the justice system is critical.

No One Left Behind (NOLB) is a strategy for placing people at the centre of the design and delivery of employability services. This is funded by Scottish Government and administered by local authority Local Employability Partnerships.

This indicator measures the percentage of participants involved in the NOLB scheme who have a criminal conviction. This is the first year that this data has been available but over time we want to see an increase in the percentage.

6% of participants across Scotland had a conviction; sitting at 9% East Dunbartonshire is slightly above the national figure.
Data provided is on individuals that have a criminal conviction which is not ‘spent’, is exempt from becoming ‘spent’ or remains a barrier to progressing within the labour market e.g. gaps in C.V. This is self-reported and can be updated throughout the person’s time receiving support

CJED Outcome Assessment: The percentage of people referred to NOLB employability programmes with a criminal record shows no emerging pattern due to insufficient data. The desired direction is to increase.

Priority 10 - Enhance community integration and support by increasing and promoting greater use of voluntary throughcare and third sector
Services

Nationally determined outcome: More people access voluntary through-care following a short-term prison sentence

National indicator: Number of voluntary throughcare cases commenced
Throughcare support exists to help people re-engage with communities and public services they may have disconnected from while in prison. Throughcare is delivered on either a statuto-ry basis (people who have served a long term prison sentence (4+ years) or were convicted of a sexual offence must work with throughcare services, usually delivered by Local Authority Justice Services) or a voluntary basis (people who have served a sentence under 4 years are eligible to receive voluntary support from JSW or from third sector organisations).

This indicator measures the number of new voluntary throughcare cases which started each year and is something we want to see an increase in, as we want to maximise the number of people who benefit from this support.

It is important to note that this data only reflects voluntary throughcare provision which is deliv-ered by Justice Social Work. As we know, the uptake of voluntary throughcare from JSW can be low for many reasons, and uptake of provision delivered by third sector agencies can be higher. In East Dunbartonshire that support is provided by New Routes for men and a commis-sioned Women’s Support Worker(SACRO) for women

We are aware that four people signed up with and engaged with the New Routes service on release from a custodial sentence. Other throughcare services exist through national and local commissioned services and there are ongoing discussions around developing this indicator further.

CJED Outcome Assessment: The number of voluntary throughcare cases commenced shows no emerging pattern where the desired direction is to increase.

Priority 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.

Nationally determined outcome: More people across the workforce and in the community understand, and have confidence in, community justice

National indicator: Percentage of people who agree that people should help their community as part of a community sentence rather than spend a few months in prison for a minor offence
The Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 names a range of statutory services who are responsible for progressing local efforts towards the national aims. The outcomes which the National Strategy for Community Justice is aiming for can only be achieved by these services working together. Strong, inclusive and innovative leadership is required, at both local and national level, with effective accountability and communication mechanisms between national organisations and their representatives driving community justice partnership activity locally, in addition to collective local partnership accountability arrangements.

Research shows that community sentences are more effective and reducing the likelihood of someone reoffending, as well as costing significantly less, than a short-term prison sentence.

This indicator measures the percentage of people who agree with the statement “people should help their community as part of a community sentence rather than spend a few months in prison for a minor offence” and we are aiming to increase this.

This data is currently only available at national level and is taken from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey - a large-scale social survey which asks people about their experiences and perceptions of crime in Scotland. There is a time lag with this information as it is from a large survey, but it gives a very important national picture of the public confidence in this area.

Note that the survey did not take place in 2020-21.

CJED Outcome Assessment: There has been no significant change in this indicator across Scotland.