This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Way ahead for Community Justice Authorities
01/11/2005
Details on the structure of Scotland's proposed new Community Justice Authorities (CJAs) have been announced today.
These authorities are being set up to reform the way councils and other organisations work together to tackle re-offending.
Following a consultation on their shape, number and operation, the Executive today confirmed that eight Community Justice Authorities will be created under the Management of Offenders (Scotland) etc Bill.
They will be made up of the following local authorities:
- Glasgow
- Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City, Moray, Highland, Orkney, Shetland, Eilean Siar
- Angus, Dundee City, Perth and Kinross
- Fife, Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling
- City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, West Lothian, Midlothian, Scottish Borders
- Argyll and Bute, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde
- North and South Lanarkshire
- East, North and South Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway
Community Justice Authorities will be responsible for distributing funding for criminal justice social work, and monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of joint working between local agencies to tackle re-offending.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said:
"Once created, Criminal Justice Authorities will play an important role in driving forward our criminal justice reforms and improving the way local agencies - councils, SPS and others - work together to tackle Scotland's unacceptably high re-offending rates.
"Following a consultation on their shape and structure, I am today announcing the final make-up of these organisations. Proposals which will ensure Community Justice Authorities are evenly balanced in terms of caseload while being large enough to provide significant opportunities for sharing local resources and expertise.
"The proposed structure will also support better local strategic planning and performance, ease communication between Community Justice Authorities and national agencies, particularly SPS, and enable us to ensure an effective national overview and monitoring of the criminal justice system.
"I recognise that consideration must be given to the particular circumstances of the Islands Authorities. I take the view that they should be members of the Northern CJA but I intend to introduce an amendment at Stage Three of the Management of Offenders Etc (Scotland) Bill to make special provision for the Islands in relation to potential future service transfers. This would enable them to opt out of the transfer of certain statutory services if they did not wish to participate, and conversely enable the mainland councils to proceed more quickly to shared services if they wish.
"Some discussion has already taken place with the relevant councils on these issues. However further discussion on the detailed operation of the Northern CJA will also take place."
The Executive's consultation on Community Justice Authorities was launched in April this year. The independent analysis of the consultation responses, published today, highlights the following key findings:
- There was widespread support for the concept of CJAs as strategic bodies to improve the management of offenders.
- The main benefit of having eight CJAs was that these would fit with recognisable communities and more easily be aligned to planning partners.
- Chief Officers within each CJA would provide strategic leadership in driving forward local criminal justice reforms.
- There was widespread support for the proposed list of statutory partner bodies, for example the police, Scottish Court Service, and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, who would be consulted on and involved in CJA strategic planning.
The Criminal Justice Plan, published in December 2004, set out proposals for reducing reoffending by improving the management of offenders and ensuring that all organisations that provide offenders' services - local authorities and the Scottish Prison Service - work more closely and effectively together.
Once established CJAs will receive the community component of criminal justice funding and be responsible for ensuring this is used effectively across their area to tackle re-offending and improve offender management. They will also be required to work in partnership with a range of partners including police forces within the CJA, NHS Boards, voluntary organisations in receipt of funding from local authorities or SPS for their work with offenders and/or their families, Scottish Court Service, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Victim Support Scotland.
Subject to the Parliamentary process, CJAs are expected to be in place and engaged in the drawing up of area plans during 2006-07, with 2007-08 being the first year fully under the new arrangements.