Displaying 58 Committee reports
Publication Date: 27 February 2026
A report by the Criminal Justice Committee on the Early Removal of Prisoners from the United Kingdom (Amendment of Specified Time Periods) (Scotland) Order 2026 [draft].
Publication Date: 23 February 2026
A report by the Criminal Justice Committee on the Antisocial Behaviour (Fixed Penalty Offences) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Order 2026 [draft].
Publication Date: 13 February 2026
This report summarises evidence on the withdrawn Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill, covering proposed offender notification requirements, rehabilitation assessments, enhanced data collection, and domestic abuse education in schools. Stakeholders highlighted safety concerns, resource pressures, limited effectiveness of proposed measures, and the need to strengthen existing systems rather than create parallel structures.
Publication Date: 23 January 2026
A report by the Criminal Justice Committee on its Stage 1 scrutiny of the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill.
Publication Date: 16 January 2026
This report presents the findings of the Criminal Justice Committee’s inquiry into substance misuse in Scotland’s prisons, established in response to sustained concern over drug-related deaths in custody, rising health needs among the prison population, and evidence that existing approaches are not adequately reducing harm. Drawing on six formal evidence sessions, 32 written submissions, prison visits, and extensive engagement with people with lived and living experience of imprisonment and addiction, the inquiry adopts an explicitly evidence-based and human-centred approach.The report finds that substance misuse in custody is not an isolated behavioural issue but a manifestation of wider systemic failures across health, social care and justice systems. High levels of trauma, poverty, mental ill-health and unmet clinical need shape both vulnerability to substance use and the prison experience itself. Overcrowding, workforce pressures, inconsistent healthcare provision and limited access to purposeful activity are shown to intensify harm and undermine recovery. The Committee heard compelling evidence that enforcement-led approaches alone are insufficient, particularly given evolving drug supply methods involving synthetic substances, drones and organised crime networks.A strong consensus emerged across witnesses that substance misuse in prisons should be addressed primarily as a public-health issue, requiring parity of healthcare with the community, integrated mental-health and addiction services, trauma-informed practice, and continuity of care on release. The report highlights promising practice in some establishments but identifies unacceptable variation across the prison estate. It concludes that meaningful progress will depend on coordinated reform across justice, health and community systems, with people with lived experience embedded as partners in design, delivery and evaluation of services.
Publication Date: 19 December 2025
A report by the Criminal Justice Committee on its pre-budget scrutiny of the Scottish Government's draft 2026/27 Budget for the criminal justice portfolio.
Publication Date: 17 December 2025
A report of the Criminal Justice Committee's consideration of a Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Sentencing Bill (UK Parliament legislation).
Publication Date: 12 December 2025
A report by the Criminal Justice Committee on its scrutiny of the risks posed in Scotland to businesses and vulnerable individuals by cybercrime and cyber-security.
Publication Date: 08 December 2025
A report by the Criminal Justice Committee on the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019 and the Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Act 2025 (Consequential Modifications) Regulations 2026 [draft].
Publication Date: 27 November 2025
A report by the Criminal Justice Committee on the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Notification Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 [draft].