Administrator & Partnership Support, Community Justice Glasgow
A quick whizz through our statutory partner organisations, with whom we have continued to work, resulting in many positive and beneficial projects and initiatives.
The core Community Justice Glasgow Team are only 5 in number and we do not directly deliver services.
The strength of our partnership across every aspect of both the direct touch points in the Justice System itself (Police, Court, Prison etc.) and the drivers or root causes of offending behaviour (Health & Wellbeing, Education & Employability, Housing etc.) is everything in our efforts to reduce re-offending across our City.
This was of particular importance during the Covid 19 Pandemic where the existence of strong partner links, and knowledge of direct and appropriate services, allowed Community Justice Glasgow partners to jointly deliver the essential core services to those in direct need and at a crucial point in the early stages of the pandemic.
These are just the tip of the iceberg with the breadth of our non-statutory 3rd Sector partners, that we work with on a day to day basis, too many to mention. You will see articles from just some of them in your journey across this Annual Report.
Police Scotland’s purpose is to improve the safety and wellbeing of people, places and communities in Scotland, focusing on Keeping People Safe in line with our values of Integrity, Fairness and Respect. There are 13 local policing divisions, each headed by a Chief Superintendent who ensures that local policing in each area is responsive, accountable and tailored to meet local needs. Each division encompasses response officers, community officers, local crime investigation, public protection and local intelligence. The local policing divisions are supported by a number of national specialist divisions. The Specialist Crime Division (SCD) provides investigative and intelligence functions such as Major Crime investigation, Public Protection, Organised Crime, Counter Terrorism, Intelligence and Safer Communities.
The SPS is responsible for those who are committed to its care by the Courts and is accountable to the Scottish Parliament for the delivery of custodial care in accord with The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011. Their principal objective is to contribute to making Scotland Safer and Stronger. The SPS has a duty to protect the public by keeping those who have been sentenced in safe and secure custody. Their commitment to public safety is delivered through constructive engagement with those in our care, focussing on recovery and reintegration.
Of particular importance during the Covid 19 pandemic, the existing shared information systems across key services of the Community Justice Glasgow Partnership and SPS meant those being considered for Emergency Early Release, could continue to be provided with some vital aspects of throughcare services when liberated, in a suitable way, in line with the limitations of pandemic restrictions.
It is their responsibility to deliver effective and high quality health services, to act to improve the health of our population and to do everything they can to address the wider social determinants of health which cause health inequalities. Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is one of 14 regional NHS Boards in Scotland. Their Board provides strategic leadership and performance management for the entire local NHS system in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area and ensures that services are delivered effectively and efficiently. They are responsible for the provision and management of the whole range of health services in this area including hospitals and General Practice, NHSGGC works alongside partnership organisations including Local Authorities and the voluntary sector.
Community Justice Glasgow sits within the Community Planning Partnership of Glasgow City Council. The main services connected to the CJG Partnership are the Health and Social Care Partnership, an amalgamation of the Council and NHS services for criminal/community justice and health improvement services, and the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability (Criminal Justice) Service which oversees the community sentencing options.
There is a lot of connection between all services and we have worked together to ensure services are provided in the best way to deliver to those involved in the justice system. For example, if there is a gap in a process that needs looked at, partners can get together to determine how this can be remedied. We also host a lot of community engagement and visibility events to raise awareness, understanding and profile of justice themes, and where possible to extend working relationships to wider partners, amounting in improved services for those who need them. There is also cognisance of public funding of statutory services, therefore ultimately if we can work together to make improvements, this in the longer term, should ensure public money is spent in a more efficient and beneficial way.
Emergency response is their most recognizable role and they attend over 90,000 incidents a year, covering everything from fires and road traffic collisions to water rescues and chemical spills. However, their role begins long before any 999 call is made and in communities right across Scotland they are working to deliver crucial safety messages in the fight against fire and fire related offending.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is Scotland’s prosecution service. They receive reports about crimes from the police and other reporting agencies and then decide what action to take, including whether to prosecute someone. They also look into deaths that need further explanation and investigate allegations of criminal conduct against police officers. COPFS plays a pivotal part in the justice system, working with others to make Scotland safe from crime, disorder and danger. The public interest is at the heart of all they do as independent prosecutors. They take into account the diverse needs of victims, witnesses, communities and the rights of those accused of crime.
The majority of cases are dealt with in the country’s Sheriff Courts unless they are of sufficient seriousness to go to the Supreme Courts at first instance. There are six Sheriffdoms in Scotland. Each Sheriffdom has a Sheriff Principal charged with a number of duties in respect of the courts for which they are responsible, including in particular a duty “to secure the efficient disposal of business in the sheriff courts of that Sheriffdom”. Criminal cases are heard by a sheriff and a jury (solemn procedure), but can be heard by a sheriff alone (summary procedure). Civil matters are also heard by a sheriff sitting alone.
Victim Support Scotland is the leading charity dedicated to helping people affected by crime across Scotland. They support victims of crime, witnesses and their family members, regardless of who they are and their circumstances. Their service is independent, free, non-judgemental and confidential. They offer bespoke support, personalised to the needs of each individual. VSS provides information, practical help, emotional support and guidance through the criminal justice system. They offer specialist services to support people who face specific crimes including murder, terrorism, rape and sexual assault, domestic violence and hate crime. They empower people to cope with the aftermath of a crime and find the strength to move on with their lives.
Includem is a youth support charity headquartered in Glasgow with regional offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Fife and Stirling. Since their formation in 2000 they have worked with more than 5000 young people aged 5-25, helping to improve their lives, and the lives of their families and carers. They employ more than 120 staff all working to make a difference to the lives of the young people they support. They work with social services, schools and criminal justice services to identify which young people could benefit from their support, then engage with the young person and their family or carer to develop a package of support, tailored to their specific needs.
GCVS is the main development agency and advocate for voluntary and community organisations in Glasgow and one of the largest Councils for the Voluntary Sector in the UK. They are also one of four key partners – (GCVS, Volunteer Glasgow, Glasgow Social Enterprise Network and the Third Sector Forum) – that form Glasgow’s Third Sector Interface – the partnership that supports and represents the third sector in Glasgow and through which the Scottish Government engages with the third sector.
GCA (Glasgow Council on Alcohol) is a not-for-profit organisation that provides alcohol counselling, COSCA counselling training courses, group work& deliver Alcohol Brief Interventions in Glasgow and surrounding areas as well as delivering a number of services specifically targeted at those whose alcohol issues have led them into the Justice System.
Across Scotland, SDS support individuals to build their career management, work-based and employability skills, throughout their career journey, from school, into further learning opportunities and employment. They are able to use skills intelligence to help inform the decisions of people across Scotland, at all stages of their careers, so that they are well-placed to take up the opportunities arising within the economy.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers.
We hope you have enjoyed this whistle-stop tour of our partners. These are our core partners with whom we have worked in recent times.
Other strong connections include The Croft (HMP Barlinnie Family Support & Advice Service), Families Outside, Glasgow Community Councils, Scottish Drugs Forum and many more.
We are always looking for new ways to help us carry out important work in communities, so if you wish to discuss how we can connect with you, please do get in touch!!
During the Covid 19 pandemic and associated restrictions, the value of the Community Justice Glasgow Partnership was particularly prominent, as it allowed the connections (required for various elements of services provided to justice clients) to be delivered in a different way, but still at speed because the contacts and connections were already available. It meant all partners were able to play a crucial role in providing services to some of the most vulnerable people during the pandemic, including those in prisons and young people in, or at risk of involvement in, the justice system. Community Justice Glasgow partners continue to work together to resolve amongst other work, the backlog of Court cases, and outstanding hours of Community Payback orders resulting from the pandemic and in delivering services in new ways (digitally) to ensure they continue to be accessible for all who need them.