Justice Social Work Statistics In Scotland: 2022-23

10 Structured deferred sentences

( Tables 1 and 26 to 27 )

Structured deferred sentences (SDS) offer courts the option to provide a short period of intensive supervision to individuals post-conviction but before final sentencing. Justice social work departments will identify those cases which may be suitable for consideration in a CJSWR. SDS offers the opportunity to engage individuals in initial supportive interventions without the need for statutory supervision. The court can then be better informed of the need for further interventions when the person returns to court for sentencing.

After falling sharply in 2020-21 to 450, the number of SDS imposed in Scotland rose in each of the next two years, reaching its highest level of 1,300 in 2022-23. In each of the last five years, between 70 and 75 per cent of SDS were for males. In the last four years, over a third of SDS were for people aged 25 or under. The next biggest age group was 31-40 years which accounted for around 25 to 30 per cent of the total. Where employment status was known, 79 per cent of people given SDS in 2022-23 were either unemployed or economically inactive.

Structured deferred sentences (SDS) offer courts the option to provide a short period of intensive supervision to individuals post-conviction but before final sentencing. Justice social work departments will identify those cases which may be suitable for consideration in a CJSWR. SDS offers the opportunity to engage individuals in initial supportive interventions without the need for statutory supervision. The court can then be better informed of the need for further interventions when the person returns to court for sentencing.

Twenty-seven per cent of SDS had a length of less than three months in 2022-23. A further 42 per cent were between three months and less than six months. The remaining 31 per cent were for six months or more.

There were 1,100 SDS which finished during 2022-23. In 48 per cent of these, the person was admonished. A further 12 per cent were issued with a CPO. Figures on outcomes by local authority area are in the additional datasets which accompany this publication. As well as judicial decision making, different outcomes may reflect the fact that SDS are not all used in the same way by different local authorities. In addition, SDS is currently not available in some local authority areas.