Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill

Author: Frazer McCallum and Sarah Harvie-Clark

PDF Published: Wednesday 14 Jun 2023 (SB 23-24)

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Overview
Report

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Overview
Report
- Summary
- Introduction
  - The Bill
  - Research, reviews and consultations
- Part 1: Victims and Witnesses Commissioner for Scotland
  - Background
  - Provisions in the Bill
- Part 2: Trauma-informed practice
  - Background
  - Provisions in the Bill
    
    Justice agencies
    
    Court rules
    
    Scheduling of court business
- Part 3: Special measures in civil cases
  - Current provisions
    
    Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004
    
    Children (Scotland) Act 2020
  - Proposed approach to special measures
    
    Main policy ideas in Part 3 of the Bill
    
    What the new system for civil cases would look like
    
    Presumption against personal conduct of cases
  - Scottish Government consultation
- Part 4: Criminal juries and verdicts
  - Background
  - Juries
    
    Current provisions
    
    Consultation
    
    Provisions in the Bill
  - Verdicts
    
    Current provisions
    
    Consultation
    
    Provisions in the Bill
- Part 5: Sexual Offences Court
  - Background
  - Provisions in the Bill
    
    Jurisdiction
    
    Judges
    
    Sentencing powers
    
    Lawyers' rights of audience
    
    Procedural matters
- Part 6: Sexual offences cases - further reform
  - Background
  - Anonymity for victims
    
    Review and consultation
    
    Provisions in the Bill
  - Independent legal representation for complainers
    
    Sexual history and character evidence
    
    Review and consultation
    
    Provisions in the Bill
  - Rape trial pilot
    
    Review and consultation
    
    Provisions in the Bill
Sources

Scottish Parliament. (2023, April 25). Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill [as introduced] Session 6 (2023) SP Bill 26. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/victims-witnesses-and-justice-reform-scotland-bill/introduced/bill-as-introduced.pdf

Scottish Parliament. (2023, April 25). Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Explanatory Notes Session 6 (2023) SP Bill 26-EN. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/victims-witnesses-and-justice-reform-scotland-bill/introduced/explanatory-notes-accessible.pdf

Scottish Parliament. (2023, April 25). Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Policy Memorandum Session 6 (2023) SP Bill 26-PM. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/victims-witnesses-and-justice-reform-scotland-bill/introduced/policy-memorandum-accessible.pdf

Scottish Parliament. (2023, April 25). Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Financial Memorandum Session 6 (2023) SP Bill 26-FM. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/victims-witnesses-and-justice-reform-scotland-bill/introduced/financial-memorandum-accessible.pdf

Scottish Government. (n.d.) Improving victims' experiences of the justice system: consultation. Retrieved from https://consult.gov.scot/justice/victimsconsultation/

Scottish Government. (n.d.) Victims Taskforce. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/groups/victims-taskforce/

Scottish Parliament. (2023, May 9). Scottish Parliament Official Report, Trauma-informed Justice for Victims and Witnesses. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-09-05-2023?meeting=15293&iob=130417

Scottish Government. (2019, October 9). Scottish Jury Research: Findings from a Large Scale Mock Jury Study. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-jury-research-fingings-large-mock-jury-study-2/

Scottish Government. (n.d.) The not proven verdict and related reforms. Retrieved from https://consult.gov.scot/justice/not-proven-verdict/

Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service. (2021, March). Improving the Management of Sexual Offence Cases - Final Report from the Lord Justice Clerk's Review Group. Retrieved from https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/docs/default-source/default-document-library/reports-and-data/Improving-the-management-of-Sexual-Offence-Cases.pdf?sfvrsn=6

Scottish Government. (2021, January 18). Victims Taskforce papers: December 2020. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/victims-taskforce-papers-december-2020/

Scottish Parliament. (2010, May 27). Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Bill [as introduced] Session 3 (2010) SP Bill 46. Retrieved from https://archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/17994.aspx

Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland. (n.d.) No title Retrieved from https://www.cypcs.org.uk/

Scottish Human Rights Commission. (n.d.) No title Retrieved from https://www.scottishhumanrights.com/

Scottish Government. (2023, May 15). The role of commissions and commissioners in Scotland and the UK. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/role-commissions-commissioners-scotland-uk-final-report-march-2023/documents/

Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales. (n.d.) No title Retrieved from https://victimscommissioner.org.uk/

Commissioner for Victims of Crime. (n.d.) No title Retrieved from https://www.cvocni.org/

Scottish Government. (2022, December 12). Improving Victims' Experiences of the Justice System: Consultation Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/improving-victims-experiences-justice-system-consultation-analysis/

Scottish Government. (2023, June 9). Email from the Scottish Government to SPICe.

Scottish Government. (2022, December 12). Improving victims' experiences of the justice system: consultation analysis - final report, pages 57-59. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/improving-victims-experiences-justice-system-consultation-analysis/

Scottish Parliament. (2013, June 20). Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill [as introduced] Session 4 (2013) SP Bill 35. Retrieved from https://archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/bills/65155.aspx

Scottish Parliament. (2013, November 27). Criminal Verdicts (Scotland) Bill [as introduced] Session 4 (2013) SP Bill 42. Retrieved from https://archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/bills/70453.aspx

Scottish Government. (n.d.) Post-corroboration Safeguards Review. Retrieved from https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/3000/https://www.gov.scot/About/Review/post-corroboration-safeguards

Post-corroboration Safeguards Review. (2015, April). Final Report. Retrieved from https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/3000mp_/http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0047/00475400.pdf

Scottish Government. (2017, September 24). Jury research . Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/news/jury-research/

Scottish Government. (2019, October 9). Scottish Jury Research: findings from a large-scale mock jury study - Research Findings. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-jury-research-fingings-large-mock-jury-study/documents/

Scottish Parliament. (2021, December 15). Proposed Victims, Criminal Justice and Fatal Accident Inquiries (Scotland) Bill. Retrieved from https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/proposals-for-bills/proposed-victims-scotland-bill

Scottish Government. (2022, July 12). The Not Proven Verdict and Related Reforms: Analysis of Responses to Consultation. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/not-proven-verdict-related-reforms-consultation-analysis/

Scottish Government. (n.d.) Criminal Proceedings in Scotland statistics. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/collections/criminal-proceedings-in-scotland/

Scottish Government. (n.d.) Lady Dorrian Review Governance Group. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/groups/lady-dorrian-review-governance-group/

Scottish Government. (2022, December 12). Lady Dorrian Review Governance Group: Specialist Sexual Offences Court Working Group Report. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/lady-dorrian-review-governance-group-specialist-sexual-offences-court-working-group-report/

Scottish Government. (n.d.) Pre-recording of evidence by witnesses. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/policies/victims-and-witnesses/pre-recording-of-evidence-criminal-trials/

Independent Press Standards Organisation. (n.d.) Editors' Code of Practice. Retrieved from https://www.ipso.co.uk/editors-code-of-practice/

Scottish Law Commission. (2007, December 19). Report on Rape and Other Sexual Offences. Retrieved from https://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/files/4712/7989/6877/rep209.pdf

HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland. (2022, October 19). Inspection of COPFS practice in relation to sections 274 and 275 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/inspection-copfs-practice-relation-sections-274-275-criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995/pages/1/

Equality and Human Rights Commission. (2020, August 18). The use of sexual history and bad character evidence in Scottish sexual offences trials. Retrieved from https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/use-sexual-history-and-bad-character-evidence-scottish-sexual-offences-trials

Department of Justice. (2021, March 31). Justice Minister launches scheme to provide free legal advice to victims of sexual offences. Retrieved from https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/news/justice-minister-launches-scheme-provide-free-legal-advice-victims-sexual-offences

Scottish Government. (2022, December 12). Lady Dorrian Review Governance Group: Consideration of a TimeLimited Pilot of Single Judge Rape Trials Working Group Report. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/lady-dorrian-review-governance-group-consideration-time-limited-pilot-single-judge-rape-trials-working-group-report/

Scottish Government. (2023, January 9). Alternatives to Jury Trials: an evidence briefing for the Consideration of a Time-Limited Pilot of Single Judge Rape Trials Working Group. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/alternatives-jury-trials-evidence-briefing-consideration-time-limited-pilot-single-judge-rape-trials-working-group/documents/

Last Updated: 12/12 5:28am

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