Follow-up report on community engagement

A number of DVDs have been produced to explain the role of the Procurator Fiscal in Scotland and also to highlight issues around hate crime. These include:

• Our Role in Your Community^[18]  The DVD highlights the work of the prosecution service, the role of COPFS in investigating deaths, COPFS' specialist functions and services for victims and witnesses.
• Them and Us^[19]. The DVD is an anti-sectarian short film - which was created in partnership with North Lanarkshire secondary students. The DVD has been made available to education authorities and other youth groups across Scotland. A teaching pack supports this DVD and is used as part of the Curriculum for Excellence in Scottish schools.
• Just a Laugh? A short film produced in association with North Lanarkshire Council. It highlights racism, homophobia and disability hate crime. Groups including Autism Scotland, Respect Me and Stonewall Scotland were consulted in the compilation of teaching notes to accompany the film.
• National Public Speaking Competition DVD. The DVD highlighted a national public speaking competition in secondary schools on equality and diversity issues culminating in a national final. It was designed to encourage interested schools to participate in the competition. The number of schools participating rose from 12 in 2014 to over 50 in 2015.

Other events

• The Keep Safe Initiative: COPFS took part in this initiative promoted by Police Scotland. The scheme involves local shops and businesses creating safe places for disabled, vulnerable and older people to go if someone is lost, scared or a victim of crime without fear of abuse, intimidation and harassment. Those taking part are provided with a Keep Safe card that includes contact details and information about their health. Keep Safe premises are identified by a window sticker.
• Mini Trials: Supported by COPFS, a number of schools took part in mini trials at the sheriff courts across Scotland.
• Outreach visits to schools: These were held in collaboration with the Scottish Prison Service and Police Scotland and aimed at educating pupils about the consequences of hate and knife crime.
• Art competition: Schools in South Lanarkshire took part in an art competition designed to promote equality through art and educate school pupils about hate crime.

A range of community interactions including:

• COPFS took part in the launch of the South West of Scotland Sectarian Project;
• A project offering advice on the dangers of cyber scamming to over‑60s;
• Attended Pride events across Scotland and the United Nations in Scotland celebration day, which was intended to raise awareness of asylum seekers and refugees in local communities in Glasgow;
• COPFS co-hosted the Tackling Prejudice Conference with Police Scotland;
• Regular meetings with representatives of Scotland's diverse communities, such as the Pakistani Welfare Association and the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC).