Follow-up report on community engagement

1. It is the practice of the Inspectorate to conduct follow-up inspections in order to promote improvement and assess the effectiveness of recommendations and their outcomes.

2. This report details the findings of the Inspectorate's follow-up inspection of the Community Engagement Thematic Report, published in June 2011.

3. The Thematic Report examined the arrangements that COPFS had in place to engage with community and the extent that community engagement impacted on COPFS policy, planning and service delivery.

4. The aim of this follow-up review is to assess and report on the progress that has been made against our recommendations.

5. To ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010, improve community engagement and provide a strategic approach to delivering equalities outcomes, COPFS set up the Equality Act Implementation Project in 2011. The Project has been ongoing for four years and has delivered 37 diverse products.

Methodology

• Interviews with key personnel;
• Review of guidance, practices, procedures and systems, protocols and policy;
• Review of diversity and equality products;
• Attendance at COPFS conferences on Hate Crime and Investigating Deaths;
• Attendance as an observer at Equality Advisory Group (EAG) meetings.