Scotland’s Justice Secretary, Angela Constance, reiterated her call for the decriminalisation of personal drug use and defended police warnings for heroin users during an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Scottish Crime Campus. The £73 million facility in Gartcosh focuses on tackling organised crime, but Constance faced criticism for [...]

Police Scotland is hiring civilian investigators to assist with major crime investigations, fatal accident inquiries, rogue police officer probes, and COVID-related deaths in care homes. These civilians will perform tasks such as conducting interviews, gathering evidence, and attending court, with a two-year contract and a salary of £30,629—higher than that [...]

The Nobile Officium is a special legal power held by the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary, allowing them to provide a remedy or take action where there is no existing law or legal procedure to address an issue. It is essentially an extraordinary or equitable power [...]

An inspection of HMP & YOI Stirling, Scotland’s new £85 million therapeutic women’s prison, has led to calls for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to end routine body-searches of female inmates. Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, praised the prison's therapeutic environment and compassionate staff but raised concerns [...]

In her final report, Scotland's Chief Inspector of Prisons, Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, called for radical measures to address overcrowding, advocating for fewer prison sentences and improved rehabilitation. The report highlights emergency measures for early prisoner release due to capacity issues. Justice Secretary Angela Constance outlined efforts to manage the complex prison [...]

Thomas Ross KC, a Glasgow based top lawyer has called for the introduction of a domestic abuse register. Mr Ross cited recent cases of domestic abuse, and also added his own childhood experience of domestic abuse. The register would operate like the sex offender registry already in place, requiring offenders [...]

Police Scotland has issued a statement in an attempt to reassure the public that similar riots to those seen in England over the past week are unlikely in Scotland. In response to the riots across England in response to the Southport stabbings, the police force has increased patrols nationwide. Assistant [...]

The scheme aims to provide redress for postmasters with minimal bureaucracy. Eligible postmasters can accept a fixed settlement of £600,000 or opt for a full claim assessment if they believe their losses exceed that amount. This assessment will be conducted by the Department for Business and Trade, which will ensure [...]

This change, implemented on 31st July, mean that it is now illegal to own an XL Bully without an exemption certificate or a pending application for one. It was already illegal to sell, advertise, gift, exchange, breed, or breed from XL Bully dogs, or to let such dogs stray. Owners [...]

The Scottish Sentencing Council (SSC) is seeking public input on sentencing guidelines for rape offences to ensure they are both appropriate and effective.  A public consultation will open this week and continue until mid-October, inviting feedback from individuals of all backgrounds over a 12-week period.  Chairwoman of the council, Lord [...]