Thematic report on community engagement

1. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is broken down into 11 Fiscal Areas
2. The person responsible changed during this review
3. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is broken down into 11 Areas
4. We touch on Diversity as a part of community engagement given the diverse nature of our communities but this is not our main focus
5. To be reviewed end 2010
6. This will be extended in 2011 to take account of the duties under the Equality Act 2010
7. WSREC (West of Scotland Regional Equality Council) - The purpose of the contract in brief is to: deliver guidance on diversity issues; assist in staff learning, establish links in communities, etc. Detailed delivery descriptors are included in the contract.
8. NB: Glasgow Area also engaged a member of staff as a Community Engagement Manager to co-ordinate activity but this role ceased to exist in October 2010
9. An assessment on the receipt of feedback is made at Chapter 7
10. Note: we have been advised that given there is a section in the Community Engagement Planners for media, use of media planners may cease
11. The Equality Advisory Group includes members of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service staff and external members each with a special interest in areas of equality and diversity - age, disability, gender and gender identity, race, religion and belief, and sexual orientation. Remit: "To provide independent and informed advice to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in relation to the impact of existing and future policies and practices on diversity and the promotion of equality and fairness in service delivery and employment."
12. Area Fiscals Group - remit is to: 'review operational performance, delivery and practice and to consider specific corporate objectives and priorities across the quarterly meetings, reviewing practice in each Area, and sharing best practice'
13. to address requirements of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 S 15(1) which requires councils to engage with community bodies and other bodies or persons as is appropriate in community planning
14. For example - Communities Scotland, Regeneration, Improvement and Development Agency, Audit Scotland, Audit Commission, Councils
15. Management Board - remit is to: 'ensure that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is organised and managed in the most effective way and to provide visible and accountable leadership to staff - setting the strategic direction for the organisation, monitoring and stimulating its performance, ensuring that decisions on priorities and ways of working are informed by contacts with the wider world and managing its people and resources to best effect'.
16. Minutes from 15/09/10 to 16/03/11 were reviewed
17. Review was carried out in October 2010
18. One Area didn't have details of activity for objectives 2 & 4 for 2010/11, another didn't have details for objective 4 2009/10 or objective 3 for 2010/11
19. We have been advised that staff prefer to insert details of media coverage in the Community Engagement Planners for which there is a section
20. eg proceeds given to SW Scotland RnR, cancer charities, sport relief, etc. In addition to this staff get involved in charity work such as volunteering for Radio Lollipop (a charity based at Yorkhill Children's Hospital in Glasgow).
21. disability, elderly, women's centres
22. AFG - Area Fiscal Group; EDSG - Equality and Diversity Strategy Group (chaired by Solicitor General)
23. Summary report from all Area reports circulated to all Areas to allow them to see what is going on in other Areas
24. Three federation groupings are: Northern - Grampian, Highlands and Islands, Tayside; West - Argyll and Clyde, Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow, Lanarkshire; East - Central, Fife, Lothian and Borders
25. VOiCE 2 was launched in 2010
26. Extract from website
27. All staff have access to the intranet and can therefore find out what is happening in other Areas
28. For example, race, disability, age, etc
29. September 2010
30. See Chapter 1 for details
31. The Court decided that police interviewing detained persons in a police station without allowing them access to legal advice was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights
32. Twitter is a real-time information network that connects you to the latest information. For example, the Crown Prosecution Service upload information on decisions and outcomes, etc. This network is used by the many government departments including Downing Street, Scottish Government, Councils, Crown Prosecution Service, law firms, etc.
33. Flickr is an online photo management and sharing
application
34. Bulletin - contains information which may be of interest to staff throughout the department, including a summary of key relevant points from Management Board and Area Fiscals Group
35. Update - Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service quarterly newsletter
36. Team briefing involves managers and supervisors talking to their teams about what is happening in the workplace, and taking note of their concerns or suggestions. The Bulletin should be used as the starting point for preparing a local team briefing.
37. Only three Areas appear to have Newsletters (Lanarkshire, Glasgow and Ayrshire)
38. A new "Community Engagement" category was added to celebrate the excellent work being done by individuals, offices and areas engaging with local communities, increasing understanding of the role of the public prosecutor and the public perception of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
39. As stated in the Strategic Plan 2009/12
40. See our thematic report on Wildlife Crime published April 2008
41. Councils are required under section 15 (1) of the Local Government Scotland Act 2003 to engage with community bodies in the community planning process
42. The purpose of this group is for the force to engage with equality groups at strategic level and for local interest or communities to have their input into long term planning of services that most affect their communities
43. See Chapter 1 for its purpose
44. Two other Areas are currently considering such work
45. The 2009 survey showed that 91% of respondents had heard of the Procurator Fiscal, however, when probed further only 59% correctly identified the role of the procurator Fiscal and 81% did not know much or anything at all about the work of the Procurator Fiscal. 63% of adults who had been in contact with the Procurator Fiscal were very satisfied or quite satisfied with their contact.
46. These reports are considered by the Equality and Diversity Strategy Group
47. For example, VOiCE
48. Focus groups - two in Highlands and Islands, one in Lothian and Borders and one in Argyll and Clyde. Note: West Lothian have a different set up due to co-location of partner agencies including West Lothian Council, Lothian and Borders Police and Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service. The Procurator Fiscal is represented on the West Lothian Community Safety Partnership which feeds into task groups which in turn feeds back to each agency.
49. perhaps through an illustrative diagram
50. Extract from Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Competency Framework