National strategy for community justice: delivery plan update 2 – March 2024

Updating process

The delivery plan is continually monitored and updated twice each year. This is the second update to the delivery plan following its publication and covers the period from January to March 2024. An update outlining the work completed or underway for each of the deliverables is provided for this period. The status of each deliverable is also included and is indicated by one of four options. These are:

• Complete – where the deliverable has been completed.
• In progress – where work on achieving the deliverable is ongoing and within the originally stated timescale.
• In progress (with revised timescale) – where work on achieving the deliverable is ongoing and the timescale has been revised from its original date.
• Outstanding – where stated timescale has passed but work is ongoing with the aim of completing the deliverable as soon as possible and before the next update to the delivery plan.

Where a deliverable has the status of ‘In progress (with revised timescale)’, revisions are clearly marked and an accompanying explanation for the change is provided. This could, for example, be due to a material change in circumstances that has adversely affected the ability to achieve a deliverable to time or follow a reassessment of the scope or complexity of the work. Deliverables that have been completed in prior updates to the delivery plan and are closed are listed under the section, ‘Previously completed deliverables’.

In addition to providing a summary of work undertaken for each of the existing deliverables, 9 new deliverables are also included in this update (numbers 42 – 50). In keeping with existing deliverables these are shown under their respective priority action and as a result are not listed in numerical sequence. New deliverables may represent either newly planned or agreed actions, or the next phase of a previously completed deliverable (this will be noted if the case). A list of the deliverables introduced in this update is provided below.

No. 42

Deliverable

Develop an action plan to respond the findings of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland Thematic Review of the servicing of mental health demand on policing published in October 2023.

Related priority action

Priority Action 2: Improve the identification of underlying needs and the delivery of support following arrest by ensuring the provision of person-centred care within police custody and building upon referral opportunities to services including substance use and mental health services.

No. 43

Deliverable

Progress identified actions to strengthen the consistency, availability and effectiveness of bail services across Scotland.

Related priority action

Priority Action 3: Support the use of robust alternatives to remand by ensuring high quality bail services are consistently available and delivered effectively.

No. 44

Deliverable

Engage with justice partners around the implementation of new technologies and policy uses, including GPS location monitoring.

Related priority action

Priority Action 4: Strengthen options for safe and supported management in the community by increasing the use of electronic monitoring technologies.

No. 45

Deliverable

Investigate feasibility of removing current ‘double ring-fencing’ funding from 2025-26 and undertake a formal funding review of Justice Social Work in 2025/26.

Related priority action

Priority Action 11: Deliver improved community justice outcomes by ensuring that effective leadership and governance arrangements are in place and working well, collaborating with partners and planning strategically.

No. 46

Deliverable

Update the national outcomes and standards for Justice Social Work.

Related priority action

Priority Action 11: Deliver improved community justice outcomes by ensuring that effective leadership and governance arrangements are in place and working well, collaborating with partners and planning strategically.

No. 47

Deliverable

Establish a framework for consistently updating Justice Social Work operational guidance.

Related priority action

Priority Action 11: Deliver improved community justice outcomes by ensuring that effective leadership and governance arrangements are in place and working well, collaborating with partners and planning strategically.

No. 48

Deliverable

Undertake a collaborative review to streamline funding reporting and monitoring arrangements for Justice Social Work.

Related priority action

Priority Action 11: Deliver improved community justice outcomes by ensuring that effective leadership and governance arrangements are in place and working well, collaborating with partners and planning strategically.

No. 49

Deliverable

Establish an ongoing Justice Social Work Practitioner forum.

Related priority action

Priority Action 11: Deliver improved community justice outcomes by ensuring that effective leadership and governance arrangements are in place and working well, collaborating with partners and planning strategically.

No. 50

Deliverable

Identify information required by Justice Social Work at both pre-conviction and pre-sentence stages in order to undertake court reports. Ensure any data sharing agreements required to allow for lawful sharing of this information are in place.

Related priority action

Priority Action 11: Deliver improved community justice outcomes by ensuring that effective leadership and governance arrangements are in place and working well, collaborating with partners and planning strategically.

Progress towards the deliverables is monitored by a Community Justice Programme Board which brings together community justice partners at a national level. The Board provides the delivery and accountability mechanism for a transformational change programme (TCP), for which the delivery plan is a key element.