The review was announced today by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs. It is among a range of measures to be introduced following the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the deaths of Katie Allan and William Lindsay.
The Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC said:
“I met the Cabinet Secretary this week and we agreed that the tragedy of deaths in custody demands a stronger investigative response.
“The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has made real changes to the way it responds to these cases but more needs to be done.
“I welcome an independent review to look system-wide at improving the investigation of deaths in custody.
“The Crown relies on external agencies for preparation of FAIs. I sincerely hope the review will lead to earlier and better information sharing with COPFS and the families of those who have died.
“This has great potential to speed up investigations and improve the experience of bereaved nearest relatives.”
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has a unit of specialist prosecutors dedicated to investigating deaths in legal custody such as those of Katie and William.
The unit was setup as part of reforms designed to reduce the time it takes to investigate deaths, improve the quality of such investigations, and improve communication with bereaved families.
Further information
For more information on Fatal Accident Inquiries see the Crown’s guide