Summary justice

Though it would be unfair to compare the Scottish judicial system to a comic opera, its objective, like that of W S Gilbert's Mikado, surely must be "To let the punishment fit the crime". The introduction in March this year of a reformed summary justice system was intended to achieve this objective for a number of low-level offences that had previously clogged the country's sheriff and district courts. With more than 300,000 cases reported to procurators fiscal each year, victims and witnesses were frequently waiting around a year before cases came to court. Following the recommendations of the McInnes Report on summary justice, MSPs agreed that those accused of minor offences would be offered the option of paying a penalty of up to £300, plus compensation to the victim where appropriate, and in return avoid court and a criminal record. Streamlined and speedy justice is in the interests of victims, witnesses and society. One of the advantages of this change was that it would free up capacity in sheriff courts to deal with more serious summary cases, carrying sentences of up to a year's imprisonment.