Scottish Government Debate: Transforming Justice in Scotland – Person-centred and Trauma-informed Approaches for Victims and Witnesses

Scottish Government Debate: Transforming Justice in Scotland – Person-centred and Trauma-informed Approaches for Victims and Witnesses Angela Constance S6M-08865 That the Parliament notes the publication of Trauma Informed Justice: A Knowledge and Skills Framework for Working with Victims and Witnesses, which identifies six key aims of a trauma-informed justice system; recognises that victims and survivors of crime and witnesses can be affected by trauma in many ways, and that there is, therefore, an imperative for the criminal justice system to be designed to be person-centred and trauma-informed, so that victims, survivors and witnesses are supported to recover from the harm and trauma and possible re-traumatisation that they have experienced; recognises the critical importance of staff having a shared understanding about the impact of trauma, and the knowledge and skills to minimise re-traumatisation and support recovery, and notes the opportunity for the Parliament to further consider these issues through its scrutiny of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, which puts victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice system. Jamie Greene S6M-08865.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-08865 in the name of Angela Constance (Transforming Justice in Scotland – Person-centred and Trauma-informed Approaches for Victims and Witnesses), insert at end ", and believes that, through its scrutiny of the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill, fairness for victims will be further achieved by the removal of proposals to allow for time spent by offenders on bail, under electronic monitoring, to be considered as part of their overall sentence, and that additional measures, such as affording victims a greater voice in decisions concerning the bail, remand and release of offenders, better protections around their safety once an offender is released and any other practical measures that can better protect victims and their families, ought to be positively considered by the Parliament." Pauline McNeill S6M-08865.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-08865 in the name of Angela Constance (Transforming Justice in Scotland – Person-centred and Trauma-informed Approaches for Victims and Witnesses), insert at end "; further notes recent reports of poor experiences of victims within the justice system, including long waits for court cases to be heard and the re-traumatising effect of the legal process for victims of domestic abuse and rape; invites the Scottish Government to explore the potential benefits of expanding the independent legal representation available to victims, particularly in cases of rape; understands that reform of the justice system will only be successful if the current pressures on the justice system are addressed, and expresses its belief that further reforms must be developed and implemented cooperatively with those who work in the criminal justice sector in order to bring about effective and practical change for victims and witnesses."