§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking or plans to take to divert petty offenders, including the mentally ill and alcoholics from custody.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe Scottish Home and Health Department is monitoring 13 schemes now operating in various sheriff court areas throughout Scotland whereby individuals charged with offences, mainly of a minor nature, who are considered to be likely to benefit from536W social work help are referred to social work departments as an alternative to prosecution. A further scheme is operating in Glasgow to allow diversion in similar circumstances of individuals who may benefit from psychiatric care. Also relevant are the powers contained in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 which enable a policeman, instead of arresting a drunken person suspected of an offence, to take him to a "designated place" for the care of drunken persons. Another important development is the recruitment of fines officers (so far in four sheriff court areas), one of whose principal objectives is to reduce the number of offenders being imprisoned for defaulting on the payment of fines. Finally, a number of alternative sentences available to the courts, and the judges, in sentencing, will have regard to both the nature and circumstances of the offence and the offender in determining whether a custodial sentence is appropriate.