The Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill was passed by the Scottish Government on 30 June and is expected to receive Royal Assent later this month.

One of the most significant provisions of the Bill is the introduction of the Community Payback Order will simplify the current system of community penalties replacing the current system of Community Service, Probation and Supervised Attendance Orders. Courts will also be enabled to combine the punishment of offenders (for example through unpaid work or other activity) with a package of additional measures to address issues which contribute to an individual’s offending behaviour.

Community Payback Orders will be introduced from mid-December.

South West Scotland CJA, in association with the Scottish Government is planning local awareness raising events in mid- September to bring together a wide range of partners to consider:

CJA Elected Members have recently taken the opportunity to visit community service teams in South Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, and Dumfries and Galloway, and to visit HMP Polmont Young Offenders Institute and HMP Cornton Vale. Many thanks to all those who helped organise these visits. All were very informative and thought-provoking. Members particularly  appreciated the opportunity to talk to offenders in custody and the community about the issues which affect them, and the support they require from partner agencies and others.

A report of the Process Review of the DTTO (Drug Treatment and Testing Order) II pilot in Lothian and Borders has been published by the Scottish Government.

Tayside CJA Pathways for Short Term Prisoners was launched in Perth on 25 June. The document provides multi-agency protocols and referral pathways for short term offenders returning to Tayside from HMP Perth  in relation to accommodation, substance misuse, employability and health information. The South West Scotland CJA Area/ Action Plan Implementation Group has begun discussions on developing similar agreements in our CJA area.

Literacies Strategy: The Literacies and Employability Group have drafted a strategy which will go forward to the CJA Board in September. The Strategy includes a number of specific commitments to promote literacy amongst offenders in custody and in the community.

Employability Development Session: The Group are working to develop their more recent employability remit, with a development session  planned for their October meeting, which will also involve colleagues from Jobcentre Plus, Skills Development Scotland and local colleges.

Offender Learning Options for Improvement: In 2007 Skills for Scotland began to look at offender learning as a whole in Scotland, with the aim of providing a more streamlined and improved learning service to offenders. Three workstreams were established to look at learning for young offenders, adult offenders in custody and adult offenders in the community.
 
Their combined report Offender Learning Options for Improvement was published in January 2010 and sets out recommendations for those involved in offender learning in Scotland in order that offenders can improve their prospects, obtain fulfilling and sustainable employment and develop a strong appetite for lifelong learning.

The Scottish Government response was published in July 2010 and sets outs how it will take forward recommendations (where appropriate). The Scottish Government expects key agencies including Community Justice Authorities, Local Authorities, Scottish Prison Service, Skills Development Scotland and Jobcentre Plus to work together to ensure every possible effort is made to provide offenders with opportunities to learn whilst they are in contact with the Justice system. It is also important that they are given every chance to continue with their learning at the end of their sentences or, in the case of those in custody, on transfer between prisons. This is a key part of successful reintegration back into the community and has a strong contribution to make to the reducing reoffending agenda.

South West Scotland Community Justice Authority has been successful in our bid to deliver the Caledonian System as part of our strategy for tackling the high levels of domestic abuse within the area.An additional £670K of funding has been provided by the Scottish Government which will, for the first time, enable us to deliver direct behaviour change work to perpetrators while at the same time providing support to partners, ex-partners and children. The funding has been provided for one year. South West Scotland is the only Community Justice Authority in Scotland which has been funded to deliver the service across the whole area

Multi Agency Domestic Abuse Group is completing a mapping exercise of current work with perpetrators of domestic abuse across all partners, recognising that other partnerships and individual organisations are focusing more on victim issues. This will inform a workplan for the group.

The Family Strategy Group has developed a set of Family Engagement Standards, which were endorsed by the CJA Board on 16 June. The Group are now working on implementation, with a series of meetings with individual partners planned, before a formal launch at a later stage. You can view the Standards on the CJA website.

Victim Awareness Training In late 2009 Victim Support Scotland, Criminal Justice Social Work and HMP Kilmanock held two joint Victim Awareness Training sessions. Using a variety of methods including DVDs, case studies and direct trainer input the training included inputs from:

Together is Better, 31 August 2010, HMP Dumfries
A half day conference to build on existing relationships between community based services and HMP Dumfries. This event will focus on improving integration for local, short-term prisoners by working together better, sharing information and sharing in success.
For further details contact the CJA Team

South West Scotland Youth Justice Event, 28 October 2010, Park Hotel Kilmarnock.
The aim of this event is to share information and best practice, and to develop a stronger partnership around youth justice issues across the CJA area. A detailed programme is currently being developed by the local authority youth justice coordinators. Further information will follow nearer the time.
For further details contact the CJA Team

To Report or Not Report – The Choice Facing Victims, 5 – 7 October 2010, Edinburgh
A Victim Support international conference seeks to:
address why victims choose to tell or not tell anyone about a crime;
reflect on victim engagement in the justice system;
advance the knowledge of all service provision to people affected by crime
South West Scotland CJA has been invited to deliver a workshop entitles "Improving victims’ engagement in the criminal justice system: the experience of Scotland’s Community Justice Authorities" which will reflect on our work locally and developments across all eight CJA areas.
Further details are available at http://www.vssconference2010.org.uk

Managing Risk and Reintegration, 19 to 20 November 2010, Dunblane Hydro Hotel,
The 41st Annual SASO Conference will explore a range of issues around managing risk and reintegration:
Can we tell who is dangerous, can we really assess risk and can we manage their reintegration into communities? Are those with mental illness properly identified and then managed appropriately?
Further details are available at www.sastudyoffending.org.uk

Minister for Community Safety Fergus Ewing, met with community service teams in Stranraer on 8 July, with the CJA Convenor and Vice Convenor joining this visit. A very informative tour around the new Community Service workshop demonstrated work underway with a recently formed women’s group, and outlined information around beach cleaning programme and other activities. This was followed by visits to two community service teams taking part in beach clean-ups around the town.