Annual Report 2009-10

The future work programme will continue to be influenced by the Crerar Review and the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act. Five comprehensive Area inspections have been completed. It is likely that future Area inspections will concentrate on a single theme or themes and look at these particular themes across all 11 Areas simultaneously thus providing quicker benchmarking. The current work programme includes the first of four joint reports with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (Scotland) on the treatment of victims in the Scottish criminal justice system. This has involved working with stakeholders and partners such as Victim Support Scotland and Women's Aid.

A thematic report on the Learning and Development Division of the Crown Office and the operation of the Prosecution College in Glasgow is also shortly due for publication.

Later in the current year reports will be published on the Crown's approach to knife crime in Scotland and a thematic report on community engagement.

During the year the Inspectorate obtained corporate membership of the International Association of Prosecutors and the Chief Inspector continues to attend the UK Heads of Inspection Forum which is a useful means of sharing thinking on inspection across the many strands of inspection and regulation.