Cross Justice Working Group on Race Data and Evidence minutes: March 2024

Attendees and apologies

• SG – Justice Analytical Services (JAS)
• Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR)
• SG – Communities Analytical Division
• SLAB -  (Scottish Legal Aid Board)
• Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR)
• Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)
• Community Justice Scotland
• Coalition for Racial Equality and rights (CRER)
• Scottish Policing Authority (SPA)
• Scottish Prison Service (SPS)
• BEMIS 
• Fire Scotland
• Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA)

Items and actions

1. Introductions and apologies

JAS welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for attending.

Review of action points from previous meeting (27 September 2023)

There were no actions outstanding from the previous meeting.

2. The future direction of the group

The first part of the meeting was used to reflect on the original terms of reference and aims of the group, and consider the direction of the group going forward, including how best to share information, and work together to improve the data and evidence. 

The Cross Justice Working Group on Race Data and Evidence, which was originally set up to be a short-life working group, has been running for more than three years. The group was invited to consider what the group had achieved to date, and its remit and aims going forward.

A new set of aims and actions for the group were considered along with proposed ways of working to deliver these.  JAS reiterated that the central aim of the group remained improving race data and evidence, but that the purpose behind improving this evidence is so that it can feed into policy decisions, eventually leading to better outcomes.  As such, it is important to consider how to measure if activities are making a difference. It was acknowledged that asking the group to move into this direction was ambitious, and that this was an aspiration for the group as a whole to work towards rather than being the responsibility of any one group member to achieve.

There was a general consensus in support of the new set of aims and ways of working. The group provided feedback on some of the language and scope.  JAS agreed to revise some of the aims and actions accordingly and recirculate to the group

It was agreed that the meetings of the main group be reduced to twice a year, with work carrying on in between, including through action based workshops and knowledge exchange seminars.

Action: JAS to revise some of the proposed aims and actions in line with feedback received and recirculate to the group for further comment / approval. Members to provide any feedback on revised aims and objectives to JAS.

Action: Members to tell JAS if there are any particular topics that they want an action workshop or seminar to focus on, and if they have relevant work within their organisation that they could present on/discuss, or lead a session on.

Action: JAS to plan potential workshops and seminars, linked to the interests of group members.

The second part of the meeting was an opportunity for two group members to showcase their work.

3. Overview of relevant research from SCCJR – Dr Julie Berg

SCCJR presented on recent relevant work.

Key Projects -

• Accounting for Complexities: An Intersectional Approach to Enhancing Police Practitioner Accountability, Legitimacy and Sustainable Reform
• No Problem (In) Here? Scoping the Experiences of Catholics in Scottish prisons (preliminary findings, no publication link)
• Scotland in Lockdown project (Graphic Novellas)

Other:

• Diversifying Justice: Revealing Viable Pathways for South Asian Women (report pending)

4. Overview of SCRA research and a quality improvement project to improve ethnicity data SCRA – Dr Catherine Nixon

Research

SCRA presented findings from their research “an exploration of ethnic minority communities’ understanding and awareness of child protection and the children’s hearing system in Scotland”.

The research identified a number of factors which can act as barriers to services engaging with ethnic minority families in Scotland. It also assessed which barriers are of particular importance to each of the ethnic groups included in the research (Pakistani, Polish, African, Indian and Chinese). It was noted that similar issues exist for white families, however there are additional layers of complexity for marginalised groups.  .

Quality Improvement project on ethnicity data

SCRA’s Race and Ethnicity Network have undertaken a project around improving ethnicity data quality to better meet children’s need and allow them to understand if children from minority ethnic backgrounds are under or over-represented within the Children’s Hearing system.

The Quality Improvement project focussed on improving the recording of children’s ethnicity in one locality team.  Small changes were introduced and the results monitored.  Improvements were noted in both the statistical results (proportion of children whose ethnicity was recorded) and qualitative feedback on the positive impact on the experiences of individual children.