The practice of diverting some accused persons from prosecution was working well in Scotland, was developing in the right direction and had potential for growth, stated a report published today (Tuesday, 21st February, 2023).
It highlighted that diversion from prosecution, designed to address the underlying causes of offending behaviour, was well-established as an effective intervention for those aged under 18, but that more could be done to promote confidence in its use for adults.
The Joint Review of Diversion from Prosecution aimed to assess the operation and impact of diversion from prosecution in Scotland.
To reflect the importance of partnership working in this area of community justice, it was carried out jointly by HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (IPS), HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS); the Care Inspectorate (CI) and HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS).