News In Focus
21 March 2006
New body meets to tackle reoffending rates
A new national body to tackle Scotland's high reoffending rates has met for the first time.
The National Advisory Body on Offender Management - chaired by Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson - is set to play a key part in driving forward improvements to offender management both in prison and in the community, and across different agencies.
Its members include representatives from COSLA, the Association of Directors of Social Work, the voluntary sector, Victim Support Scotland, the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland) and the Parole Board.
The advisory body's role is to:
- provide advice on the shape and direction of offender management;
- advise on how best to achieve the reforms needed for better practice on offender management;
- support the work of the new Community Justice Authorities (CJAs).
The Justice Minister said: "The National Advisory Body will have a significant role in creating a more coherent and effective system for managing offenders across different agencies in Scotland, in prison and in the community.
"It will also be responsible for developing and reviewing the national strategy for offender management and monitoring the work of criminal justice agencies to ensure that efforts to tackle reoffending are placed at the heart of the criminal justice system and that real progress is made."
Two members of the public are currently being recruited to join the advisory body.