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Building a Sustainable Scotland: Sustainable Development and the Spending Review 2002
CROWN OFFICE AND PROCURATOR FISCAL SERVICE
To provide an independent, modern prosecution service which is committed to professional excellence, pursues cases fairly and consistently in the public interest and is responsive to the public's needs
Approach to Environmental Crime
The Department takes environmental crime very seriously and prosecutors will take criminal proceedings where the evidence available justifies it and where prosecution is in the public interest. We remain committed to continually improving our approach to the prosecution of these cases, reported principally by SEPA, the police and local authority environmental health departments. With input from SEPA and others, staff in our Policy Group in Edinburgh currently provide detailed guidance on environmental crime to our prosecutors throughout the country to assist them in dealing with these cases.
Sentencing is, of course, for the courts. We work with SEPA and reporting agencies generally to ensure that reports include all relevant information (including information about the impact of the offence) so that the prosecutor, at the initial marking stage, and the judiciary, at the sentencing stage, are aware of all necessary information to make an informed decision.
Sustainable Development in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is undertaking a major programme of change over the next few years. The introduction of new computer systems should reduce our use of paper. Greater efficiency in our arrangements relating to the citing of witnesses should also reduce unnecessary travel to and from courts. We recognise that we need to do more and will be seeking to take forward our environmental strategy alongside the rest of our modernising activity.
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