Policy perspectives: Criminal justice reforms in Scotland

In the first of our series of events highlighting the work we do to respond to potential changes in the law, Stuart Munro, Convener of our Criminal Law Committee, will delve into current proposals to reform the criminal justice system in Scotland.

This one hour, free to attend, session will be hosted by Law Society President Patricia Thom. As well as an opportunity for you to share your views with Patricia and Stuart, we will cover:

• The Law Society’s strategic goal to protect the rule of law in Scotland and ensure access to justice for all
• The Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, which aims to improve the experiences of victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system but also raises concerns around the changes in jury deliberation and the introduction of a standalone Sexual Offences Court
• The Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill, which will make permanent some provisional changes introduced after the COVID-19 pandemic in criminal courts, mainly focused on the introduction of technology
• The work our Criminal Law Committee has done to engage with justice stakeholders and politicians in response to the proposals in the two bills.

This session offers a chance for criminal law practitioners, and those in the legal profession with an interest in the justice system generally, to hear about how the Law Society has responded to the proposed changes and to share your views on the potential lasting impact on the administration of justice in Scotland.

To register for this event or if you have any questions, please email us at memberservices@lawscot.org.uk

Our policy perspectives series is a chance for you to get an insight into the work of our policy team and the network of volunteers who analyse and respond to proposed changes in the law. As well as gaining an understanding of how policy changes could impact your day-to-day practice, this new series will also allow you to comment on our policy work whilst keeping up to speed with what’s going on across Scotland.

You can find out more about our work to shape good law here: Influencing the law and policy | Law Society of Scotland