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 [...]

The Scottish Government was facing an increase in pressure to clarify the provisions of the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act following the death of 17-year-old Jonathan Beadle at Polmont Young Offenders Institution on 13th July. It has announced, on 23rd July 2024, that we can expect to see [...]

In the first month following the introduction of Scotland's new Hate Crime Act on April 1, over 500 individuals were charged out of 9,529 reports received. The Act, which includes a new offence of "stirring up hatred" based on age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity, or being intersex, resulted [...]

 Following on from the success of Channel 4's Courtroom Documentary 'The Push', we can be expecting to see high profile murder cases being televised in Scotland in the near future.  Cameras are now being introduced at the Court of Appeal in Edinburgh following positive feedback from top judges regarding similar [...]