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Support services for domestic abuse
23/06/2008
All victims of domestic abuse across Glasgow will see real improvements in the way the courts deal with their cases from this Autumn.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill today announced a substantial increase in the number of cases to be heard in the city's specialist domestic abuse court.
This follows an evaluation of a pilot project and a feasibility study involving key agencies including Scottish Women's Aid and the Glasgow Community and Safety Services.
From this autumn, the court will be able to hear all cases of domestic abuse prosecuted in two of the three police divisions covering the city of Glasgow. The rest of the city's cases will benefit from more effective management in the existing sheriff courts.
As well as seeing their cases being dealt with more efficiently by the courts, victims and their children will also benefit from dedicated support and advice.
Speaking following a meeting with the Glasgow Domestic Abuse Feasibility Study Group, Kenny MacAskill said:
"Violence against women must not be tolerated in any form. We know the effects of domestic abuse can be devastating, including on children and young people, and we are determined to tackle it, wherever and whenever it occurs.
"The Scottish Government is committed to the rigorous and rapid prosecution of the perpetrators of domestic abuse and to improving support for the victims of this despicable crime.
"We are determined to build on the success of the pilot court in Glasgow and as a first step we will increase by some 60 per cent the caseload being fast-tracked in the dedicated court.
"We will review the position in Glasgow in around 18 months, when the wider reforms to summary justice, passed unanimously by the previous Parliament, are well bedded in. These should help to free up space within the court estate in Glasgow.
"It will be for the Sheriff Principal of Glasgow & Strathkelvin to decide how best to use any spare capacity available at that time. Should he decide to use it for a second, dedicated domestic abuse court, we will help to resource this.
"This is just one part of a wider package of action that the Scottish Government and our partners are using to tackle the scourge of domestic abuse in Glasgow and across Scotland.
"Over the next three years we will devote considerable resources to the issue of violence against women. With nearly £44 million over the next three years we will support the work of Scottish Women's Aid, the Scottish Domestic Abuse Helpline, Rape Crisis Scotland and the network of local rape crisis centres.
"We are also funding the development of an accredited perpetrator programme that will go to the heart of offending behaviour and support our wider goal to prevent reoffending and increase the safety of women and children.
"In addition, we will fund local projects across Scotland which are working on this agenda and fund children's workers in every women's aid group in Scotland.
"As a sign of our determination to tackle this issue, we recently published the National Domestic Abuse Delivery Plan which takes forward recommendations to improve outcomes for children and young people affected by domestic abuse."
Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini, QC said:
"I fully support this expansion of the Domestic Abuse Court in Glasgow. It is absolutely crucial for our communities that action is taken swiftly and effectively in all cases of domestic abuse."
Strathclyde Police Chief Constable Stephen House said:
"I welcome the expansion of the Domestic Abuse Court in Glasgow which has already assisted us greatly in effectively dealing with offenders and supporting victims of domestic abuse who are often vulnerable members of our communities.
"We have already made significant progress in the area but we will continue to work with our partners to provide support for all those affected and to bring those responsible for domestic abuse to account.
"Along with key partners Strathclyde Police will continue to develop the Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC) to increase the protection offered to victims of domestic abuse."
Lily Greenan, Manager of Scottish Women's Aid said:
"Scottish Women's Aid welcome this extension of the Domestic Abuse Court provision currently available in Glasgow. We are particularly pleased to see the Government's emphasis on the provision of dedicated support for women and children going to court."
In addition to announcing its commitment to expanding Glasgow's domestic abuse court, the Scottish Government also published today a toolkit for local criminal justice boards and others with an interest in developing innovative and effective responses to domestic abuse within the criminal justice system.
A pilot domestic abuse court covering the South Side (G Division) of Glasgow was established in 2004. An evaluation of the pilot by Reid Howie Associates was published in March 2007.
In a written reply in September 2007, the Kenny MacAskill announced the Scottish Government's intention to examine the feasibility of specialist court arrangements for the whole of Glasgow. A Study Group met four times, between October 2007 and March 2008.
The expansion of the court, as announced by the Justice Secretary, involves doubling the resources dedicated to the court, from some £600,000 a year to around £1,200,000 - the bulk of which will be supplied by the Scottish Government, with welcome support from the City of Glasgow Council.
In 2007-08 the domestic abuse court dealt with over 800 cases. An expanded specialist court may well deal with an additional 500 or so cases, with the remaining 45 per cent of cases benefiting from more effective management in the mainstream courts. The position will be reviewed some 18 months after the court is expanded this autumn. If by this time the streamlining of summary justice has created more capacity in Glasgow Sheriff Court and the Sheriff Principal wants to use this for a second dedicated domestic abuse court, the Scottish Government will help resource it.
The Scottish Government is funding the testing and development of the Caledonian perpetrator programme in Lothian and Borders Community Justice Authority until March 2009. In addition we have supported the development of this programme for submission in September of this year, to the Scottish Accreditation Panel for Offender Programmes.
The Scottish Government is committed to developing a joined up system for the funding of accredited perpetrator programmes and associated services to women and children. Whilst the scope of services funded under section 27 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 will remain unchanged, the Government will move - following accreditation of the Caledonian Programme - to join up funding streams so that integrated services to both perpetrators and their partners come on stream during 2009-2011.