Follow-up report on the management of time limits

1. The independent public prosecution service in Scotland. It is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of crime in Scotland. It is also responsible for the investigation of sudden, unexplained or suspicious deaths and the investigation of allegations of criminal conduct against police officers.

2. Release from custody of an accused person until the trial or next court hearing.

3. A group comprising of Senior Civil Service legal and business managers who meet monthly to monitor performance against targets and drive continuous improvement of solemn business.

4. A body established under the 1995 Act to review the procedure and practices of the courts exercising criminal jurisdiction in Scotland and to assist the High Court in the discharge of its court procedural rule-making function.

5. An Act setting out the rules and regulations governing criminal procedure.

6. Section 111 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 amends Section 305 (1A) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 and came into force on 11 January 2017.

7. COPFS was formerly organised into four Federations, each led by a Procurator Fiscal with all operational work managed within the East, West and North Federations and a National Federation including a number of specialist units including the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit and corporate functions.

8. The Law Officers (Lord Advocate and Solicitor General) and Advocates Deputes.

9. Prosecutions held in the Sheriff or Justice of the Peace Court before a judge without a jury.

10. Serious criminal cases heard in the Sheriff Court by a jury.

11. Level of court proceedings with more serious offences being heard by a jury and less serious offences heard by a single judge.

12. CPLD is an electronic document contained within COPFS systems which details all the relevant information and evidence in case which can be used to decide forum and by deputes in court. The document is updated as the case progresses and will provide an up to date narrative and history of the case.

13. COPFS system that provides a range of management data in a readable format.

14. An electronic learning package to assist COPFS staff with bespoke areas of training.

15. The timing is intended to coincide with the Sheriff and Jury reforms arising from the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016.

16. There has been a 4% decrease between 2013-14 and 2015-16.

17. There were 660 charges of rape and attempted rape in 2010-11 which has increased to 11,440 in 2015-16.

18. Internal COPFS target to serve indictments.

19. Source: COPFS MI Book on 10/01/17.

20. Excludes indictments served between 9 months and 9.5 months.

21. Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016: Explanatory Notes.