Looming £6 million cut to Scottish prosecution service shows SNP's priorities are plain wrong
Amid lawlessness on Scotland’s streets, the last thing the country needs is a cut to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
In Scotland today, the police have stopped investigating some ‘minor’ crimes, while criminals are being released from prison early simply because there’s no room for them.
Now the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is facing a savage reduction in its funding, from £240.5 million to £234m, in the Scottish Budget next month.
As we report today, Yvette Greener, chief operating officer of the prosecution service, has written to MSPs warning about the consequences of such a cut, which comes at a time when the extra demands are being placed upon it, such as new sexual offences courts.
She said support for the Victim Information and Advice service, Justice of the Peace Court proceedings, and investigations of cold cases and historic sexual abuse would be reduced.
Paedophiles and murderers
Obviously, victims are often key witnesses in court cases and reducing the help they get may effect their willingness and ability to give evidence.
Justice of the Peace courts deal with offences some may regard as minor, such as speeding, careless driving and breach of the peace, but those familiar with the ‘broken window’ theory of crime will know the importance of upholding the law in all its forms. At a time of routine violence around Bonfire Night and when gangs of masked thugs blight town centres, what Scotland needs is a crackdown on lawlessness, not any further relaxation.
The idea that, because of SNP cuts, paedophiles and murderers might get away with their crimes simply because they happened some years ago will surely shock every decent citizen. While Police Scotland has a strong record of catching killers in recent years, there are still a staggering 1,300 unsolved murders dating back to the 1960s.
Free school bags?
Clearly, the Scottish Budget has not yet been finally decided and it’s not too late for the SNP to reconsider.
Is it really worth spending £2.7 million over the next two years on free school bags for every P1 pupil, including the children of wealthy parents who can easily afford to buy such things, when the money could be spent catching some of the most serious criminals?
Politics is about choices. Free school bags were, unfortunately, a manifesto commitment, so John Swinney and co are unlikely to see sense.
However, amid the collapse of the NHS, violence in schools, and the financial meltdown affecting universities and colleges, this is yet more evidence that the SNP’s priorities are plain wrong.