The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill takes forward and further develops the majority of the recommendations arising from two independent reviews of aspects of the criminal justice system: Lord Carloway’s Review of Criminal Law and Practice and Sheriff Principal Bowen’s Independent Review of Sheriff and Jury Procedure. The Bill also includes a number of other reforms which take forward other justice priorities.
This report gives the results of an Equality Impact Assessment, which identified some potential impacts against the protected characteristics, both positive and negative. Where potential negative impacts were identified, measures have been taken to mitigate possible issues. None of the impacts identified were considered to be of a serious or unacceptable nature.
Overall, the Scottish Government believes that the Bill will provide for a more efficient and effective criminal justice system which appropriately balances the rights of a suspect or accused person with the rights of victims to access justice.