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8. Restriction of Liberty Orders (Chart 25 and 26, Tables 8.1 to 8.5)
8.1 In 2006-07, 5,443 RLO assessments were made (data provided by local authorities), an increase of 35 per cent from 4,030 in 2005-06. The 5,443 assessments corresponds to a rate of 14.9 per 10,000 population.
8.2 Information on RLOs (provided by Reliance) was obtained for the first time in 2002-03. RLOs became available as a disposal to all of Scotland's High, Sheriff and Stipendiary courts from May 2002.
8.3 The contract for monitoring compliance with restriction of liberty orders moved from Reliance Monitoring Services Ltd to Serco Limited on 1 st April 2006.
8.4 A total of 1,018 RLOs were made in 2006-07, an increase of 3 per cent from the total of 984 in 2005-06. The incidence of RLOs was 2.8 per 10,000 population in 2006-07.
8.5 Male offenders accounted for 90 per cent of RLOs. Over half of all males (68 per cent) and females (59 per cent) receiving RLOs were aged 25 years and under. Twenty per cent of offenders were aged over 40 years. The incidence of RLOs was highest amongst 18 to 20 year olds (15.1 per 10,000 population) and 16 to 17 year olds (8.8 per 10,000 population).
Chart 25: Restriction of Liberty Orders by Age and Gender of Offender, 2004-05 to 2006-07
Orders per 10,000 population
Breaches of Restriction of Liberty Orders
8.6 Information on breaches of RLOs (previously provided by Reliance, now Serco Ltd.) was obtained for the first time in 2004-05. Four types of breach are systematically recorded:
- Level 1 breach - including withdrawal of consent (most commonly by the premises holder), missed full curfew, intentional tampering or damaging monitoring equipment and physical violence or threatening behaviour towards Reliance Monitoring Services staff.
- Level 1 variation combination - where the subject had to leave their restriction address incurring breach proceedings but has found alternative accommodation for the court to consider as a possible restriction address.
- Level 2 breach - an accumulation of time violations resulting in a return to Court under breach proceedings.
- Level 3 breach - entering a restriction / exclusion zone.
8.7 A total of 911 breach reports of RLOs were submitted to the courts in 2006-07, a decrease of 8 per cent from the total of 986 in 2005-06. Seventy-three per cent of these related to level 1 breaches (including variation combinations), 26 per cent to level 2 breaches and the remaining 1 per cent to level 3 breaches 2.
8.8 Additional information on electronic monitoring as part of a Restricted Liberty Order is contained in the quarterly publication "Electronic Monitoring in the Scottish Criminal and Youth Justice System".
Chart 26: Breaches of Restriction of Liberty Orders by Type of Breach, 2006-07
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