SCRA’s service to victims of youth crime

Most children and young people, aged eight years and above, who are charged with an offence are referred to the Children’s Reporter.  The Reporter investigates each referral to decide whether compulsory measures are necessary to address the child or young person’s behaviour.  In a very small number of cases, children and young people are dealt with in the criminal justice system.

SCRA provides an information service to victims of youth crime across Scotland. The service is sponsored by the Scottish Government.

Historically in the Children’s Hearings System, victims of youth crime were legally not able to be provided with information about the outcome of the offences against them.  Section 53 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 gave powers to the Principal Reporter to give victims of youth crime the opportunity to receive information about the outcome of offence(s) against them by a child or young person, whilst also protecting the child’s right to confidentiality.

For a fuller understanding of this process and an explanation of the terms used, please click on the link at the bottom of this page to view 'A Victim's Guide to the Children's Hearings System' leaflet.

SCRA has introduced a service to inform the victims of youth crime about offences referred to the Reporter.

The principles of SCRA’s Victim Information Service are:

• to provide victims of youth crime with access to routine information about the Children’s Hearings System,
• to provide specific information to victims (and others specified, such as insurance companies) about what has happened to the referral to the Reporter, of the child or young person responsible for the offence,
• to protect the right of the child or young person to confidentiality.

The process involves the victim of an offence being identified from the police report when the child or young person is referred to the Reporter.  Reporters then write to victims at key stages of their investigation and decision-making.  Victims can opt out of this service if they do not want to receive this information.

Any subsequent contact from the victim will be responded to by an SCRA "Victim Information Co-ordinator". Victim Information Co-ordinators also provide the point of contact for requests for information from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority and insurance companies.

For further information on SCRA’s Victim Information Service, please contact any of our Victim Information Coordinators on the following local-rate numbers:

0845 051 0633 (Glasgow)
0845 051 0635 (Hamilton)
0845 051 0636 (Dundee)