Justice - Spending Review
20th September 2011
Investment has been prioritised in front-line services aimed at making Scotland's communities safer and reducing criminal activity as part of spending plans announced today by the Scottish Government.
With recorded crime now at a 35 year low, reoffending levels at their lowest in over a decade and more than nine out of ten people rating their neighbourhoods as good places to live, Ministers have vowed to continue focussing investment on the areas that will make the greatest impact on protecting the public and the communities in which they live.
Next year's justice budget will rise by six percent, which as well as continuing to ensure that the 1,000 extra police officers in our communities is maintained, will also see the launch of a new fund to support those initiatives that its known can reduce reoffending.
Over the period of the Scottish Government's Spending Review, the justice portfolio will also invest in:
Significant reform of Scotland's police and fire & rescue services, protecting and improving local services and strengthening the connections between the services and the communities they serve
Delivering our planned capital programme including the Scottish Crime Campus at Gartcosh; the Parliament House project; and the construction and completion of HMP Grampian
Extending the 'Cashback for Communities' scheme, re-investing crooks' ill-gotten gains into the communities they have exploited
Tackling the issues that blight our country, such as knives, alcohol, drugs and sectarianism
Continuing delivery of tough and swift Community Payback Orders
Reforming and streamlining Scotland's courts and tribunals
Commenting on today's budget announcement, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:"Scotland's recorded crime is at its lowest level since 1976, down 23 percent since 2007. Reoffending rates are at their lowest level in 11 years. 94 percent of people rate their communities as good places to live. And the average length of prison sentences overall has increased by 21 per-cent since in the past five years - now at their highest level in a decade.
"Our investment in justice since 2007 means Scottish communities feel safer and are safer.
"We cannot and will not be complacent. We are pledged to do all we can to keep improving the situation, because crime remains too high. So the budget plans we have announced today continue to prioritise investment in front-line services, targeting the areas that will make the greatest impact in building safer and stronger communities.
"Despite the significant financial constraints faced by the Scottish Government, we are delivering on the manifesto commitments that protect communities, protect households and protect jobs.
"We will continue to drive an agenda that puts a significant focus on tackling the issues that blight many of our towns and cities, such as knives, alcohol, drugs and sectarianism.
"To do this, it is vital to have a visible police presence on our streets. Communities, businesses and individuals need to feel safe and confident that crime will be tackled wherever and whenever it occurs.
"By maintaining police funding levels, and through an agreement with Cosla that councils will pass on their share of funding to allow Police Boards to maintain officer numbers at at least 17,234, today's budget will ensure we deliver our commitment to maintain the 1,000 extra officers so widely welcomed during the last Parliamentary term.
"We have invested in breaking the cycle of offending and imprisonment, and in tough community-based sentences. I want us to build on the progress that has resulted in Scotland having the lowest level of reoffending rates in more than a decade, in particular through the sort of preventative spending that delivers better outcomes at lower cost and reduces demand for a range of services.
"A new 'change fund' targeted at further reducing reoffending will be established, backed by at least £7.5 million over the next three years. This investment in preventative spending will bolster the interventions that we know can reduce reoffending, and help make our communities safer.
"We will work with the third sector to expand the coverage and impact on those interventions with a proven track record in reducing reoffending as well as supporting innovative new approaches.
"In these times of economic turbulence, the justice portfolio - like all other parts of Government - still faces significant financial pressures across its areas of responsibility to support the services that the people of Scotland expect.
"We are radically reshaping structures and processes right across the justice system, not least in our plans to reform police and fire services, protecting and improving local services and strengthening the connection with the public."
