2. Ruth Maguire (Cunninghame South) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government how a public health approach to justice can reduce crime and make communities safer. (S6O-03413)
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs (Angela Constance): Our vision for justice emphasises the importance of the public health approach to justice and community safety. Evidence shows that community interventions can be more effective in reducing reoffending and assisting with rehabilitation, which leads to fewer victims and safer communities.
Health considerations are also key. We know that those in the justice system often present with high levels of vulnerability and have complex needs. Ensuring access to health and other support services at each point in the justice system is therefore vital and requires a holistic, multi-agency approach, as well as a focus on prevention and interventions that facilitate those links.
Ruth Maguire: Justice is largely devolved. However, Scotland is limited by Westminster law and policy on some of the most challenging issues that society faces, such as drugs, gambling and organised crime, so creative, focused approaches can be stifled. Does the cabinet secretary agree that that is just one of the many reasons why the people of Scotland would be best served by the restoration of Scotland’s independence and the full powers and responsibilities that that would bring?
Angela Constance: Well said, Ms Maguire. Independence would allow us, for example, to further embed and extend our public health approach to justice and violence reduction into areas that are currently reserved, such as gambling and drug policy reform. As an example, with full powers under independence, a future Scottish Government could consider a range of measures to tackle gambling-related harm, such as raising the legal age of gambling or reviewing how gambling appeals to young people.
In relation to drug policy reform, a future Government could consider the creation of a statutory framework for supervised drug consumption facilities; review the drug classification system; clarify the law so that services can provide drug paraphernalia legally; and enable a wider range of treatment options, such as introducing drug-checking facilities, as opposed to having to apply to the Home Office.