Cash for miscarriage of justice victims

Victims of miscarriages of justice to be given help from Executive

News, 14 March 2005

Victims of miscarriages of justice will benefit from a Scottish Executive funding grant worth £50,000 a year.

Ministers have decided to fund the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (Scotland) who will provide a freephone helpline, advice and assistance and longer term training and counselling to those who have been victims of a miscarriage of justice.

Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said: "Scotland has a long and proud history for fairness and justice. However, any civilised society has to be willing to scrutinise examples of where its systems have got things wrong. That applies as much to the justice service as to anything else no matter how rarely miscarriages of justice occur.

"In 1999 we set up a Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission which now refers relevant cases to the Court of Appeal. But the toll taken on victims of a miscarriage of justice is not simply erased by any compensation they may ultimately receive.

"As we continue to develop a justice service that is fair for victims, fair for witnesses and fair for the accused we have to acknowledge a gap in provision for those who have been wrongly jailed."

Ms Jamieson said the Executive considered a range of ideas to help victims including the possibility of funding a retreat, but decided that funding advice, support, training and counselling was the right approach.

Since the SCCRC began its work, nine accused have had their convictions overturned by the appeal court following a reference by the review body.