Please be aware that from 1 July 2015, you, as a victim of crime in Scotland, have the right to a review of a decision by us not to prosecute, made on or after 1 July 2015. You should if possible apply for a review within one month of the date you are informed of our decision not to prosecute. Generally you would be told of the review decision within 20 working days.
Application form to request a review 251.83 KB (.docx)
Lord Advocate’s Rules: Review of a Decision Not to Prosecute – Section 4 of The Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014118.21 KB
If you have problems downloading the form, please contact the Enquiry Point on 0300 020 3000A Victim Review carried out by the former Solicitor General, Dr Lesley Thomson QC which recommends ways in which the justice system could better serve victims of crime.Review of Victim Care in the Justice Sector in Scotland.pdfYou may have a lot of questions about what to expect. The relevant COPFS booklets listed above will be sent to you if you are cited to be a witness but you can read them now by clicking on the links above.We hope they help answer some of your questions for example about what to bring to court, what will happen when you get there and what expenses you can claim and how.If you are eligible for the Victim Information and Advice service you will also be sent leaflets which give more information about the various aspects of the court process. As a victim of crime you have rights. The Victims' Code for Scotland sets out these rights and who to contact for help and advice.This Prosecution Code sets out the criteria for decision making and the range of options available to prosecutors dealing with reports of crime. Further information on Prosecution Policy and Guidance can be found here.Standards of Service 2021-22
Standards of Service annual report 2020-21
Standards of Service for Victims and Witnesses Annual Report 2020-21
Standards of Service for Victims and Witnesses Annual Report 2019-20
Standards of Service for Victims and Witnesses Annual Report 2018-19
Standards of Service for Victims and Witnesses Annual Report 2018-19
Standards of Service 2017-18
Standards of Service 2017-18
Standards of Service 2016-17
Standards of Service annual report 2016-17
Standards of Service annual report 2016-17
The Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014
The central objective of the Victim and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act) is to improve the experience of victims and witnesses within the criminal justice system in Scotland. One of the key provisions is that victims and witnesses have a legal right to request certain information about their case.
Access to Information Protocol
Access to Information Protocol - easy read version
Access to Information Protocol - COPFS Application Form – July 201560 KB
Access to Information Protoccol - Scottish Court Service Request Form39.5 KB
Victims and Witnesses Bill - Consultation Paper - COPFS Response.pdf52.88 KB
COPFS welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the consultation paper on the Victims and Witnesses Bill. This Bill represents the commitment of the Scottish Government to improve the experience of victims and witnesses, a commitment which is shared by COPFS.
Please be aware that from 1 July 2015, you, as a victim of crime in Scotland, have the right to a review of a decision by us not to prosecute, made on or after 1 July 2015. You should if possible apply for a review within one month of the date you are informed of our decision not to prosecute. Generally you would be told of the review decision within 20 working days.
Application form to request a review 251.83 KB (.docx)Lord Advocate’s Rules: Review of a Decision Not to Prosecute – Section 4 of The Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014118.21 KB If you have problems downloading the form, please contact the Enquiry Point on 0300 020 3000
Standards of Service 2021-22Standards of Service annual report 2020-21
Standards of Service for Victims and Witnesses Annual Report 2020-21
Standards of Service for Victims and Witnesses Annual Report 2019-20
Standards of Service for Victims and Witnesses Annual Report 2018-19 Standards of Service for Victims and Witnesses Annual Report 2018-19
Standards of Service 2017-18 Standards of Service 2017-18
Standards of Service 2016-17
Standards of Service annual report 2016-17Standards of Service annual report 2016-17
The Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014
The central objective of the Victim and Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act) is to improve the experience of victims and witnesses within the criminal justice system in Scotland. One of the key provisions is that victims and witnesses have a legal right to request certain information about their case.Access to Information Protocol
Access to Information Protocol - easy read version
Access to Information Protocol - COPFS Application Form – July 201560 KB
Access to Information Protoccol - Scottish Court Service Request Form39.5 KB
Victims and Witnesses Bill - Consultation Paper - COPFS Response.pdf52.88 KBCOPFS welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the consultation paper on the Victims and Witnesses Bill. This Bill represents the commitment of the Scottish Government to improve the experience of victims and witnesses, a commitment which is shared by COPFS.
Our Commitments to Victims and Prosecution Witnesses - Information Booklet209.95 KB
Farsi - Our Commitment to Victims and Witnesses - Farsi. در این بروشور، تعهدات ما در قبال شما به عنوان قربانی یا شاهد برای تعقیب کیفری تدوین شده است
Being a Witness - High Court leaflet548.21 KB
Being a Witness - Sheriff and Jury Court leaflet280.09 KB
Being a Witness - Sheriff Court343.65 KB
Being a Witness in the Justice of the Peace Court333.73 KB
Guidance booklet for an Expert Witnesses420.72 KB
How We Can Help You - June 15.pdf114.95 KB
How we can help you - Albanian June 1543.04 KB
How can we help you - Arabic Jan 15.pdf151.16 KB
How we can help you - Bengali June 15141.89 KB
How can we help you - Bosnian June 15174.48 KB
How we can help you - Cantonese Jan 15.pdf259.48 KB
How we can help you - Czechoslovakian June 1596.35 KB
How can we help you - Farsi Jan 15.pdf741.25 KB
How we can help you - French Jan 15.pdf62.13 KB
How we can help you - German Jan 15.pdf82.85 KB
How we can help you - Hindi Jan 15.pdf761.38 KB
How we can help you - Hungarian June 15142.46 KB
How we can help you - Italian June 1546.75 KB
How we can help you - Kurdish Jan 15.pdf79.17 KB
How we can help you - Latvian June 15138.92 KB
How we can help you - Lithuanian June 1582.09 KB
How we can help you - Mandarin Jan 15.pdf340.41 KB
How we can help you- Nepalese June 15128.76 KB
How we can help you - Polish June 15780.04 KB
How we can help you - Portuguese June 1561.23 KB
How we can help you - Punjabi Jan 15.pdf63.63 KB
How can we help you -Pushtu Jan 15.pdf231.59 KB
How we can help you - Romanian June 1571.06 KB
How can we help you - Russian Jan 15.pdf105.67 KB
How we can help you - Slovakian June 15164.42 KB
How we can help you - Spanish Jan 15.pdf51.86 KB
How we can help you - Turkish June 15410.61 KB
How we can help you - Ukrainian June 15145.13 KB
Advice for Victims of Hate Crime - English - June 151.63 MB
Advice for Victims of Hate crime - Czechoslovakian Jan 15.pdf86.32 KB
Advice for Victims of Hate crime - Lithuanian - June 1580.25 KB
Advice for Victims of Hate crime - Mandarin Jan 15.pdf265.07 KB
Advice for Victims of Hate crime - Nepalese Jan 15.pdf134.19 KB
Advice for Victims of Hate crime - Polish June 15648.95 KB
Advice for Victims of Hate crime - Punjabi Jan 15.pdf49.26 KB
Advice for Victims of Hate Crime - Romanian June 1582.28 KB
Advice for Victims of Hate crime - Urdu.pdf694.73 KB
Right to Review
Please be aware that from 1 July 2015, you, as a victim of crime in Scotland, have the right to a review of a decision by us not to prosecute, made on or after 1 July 2015. You should if possible apply for a review within one month of the date you are informed of our decision not to prosecute. Generally you would be told of the review decision within 20 working days.
Advice for Victims of Domestic Abuse - English - Aug 2015517.87 KB
Right to Review
Please be aware that from 1 July 2015, you, as a victim of crime in Scotland, have the right to a review of a decision by us not to prosecute, made on or after 1 July 2015. You should if possible apply for a review within one month of the date you are informed of our decision not to prosecute. Generally you would be told of the review decision within 20 working days.
Advice for Victims of Sexual Crimes Solemn Proceedings Aug 2015701.82 KB
Advice for Victims of Sexual Crimes Summary Proceedings Aug 2015648.17 KB
Information about Summary Trials - English June 155.08 MB
Information about Summary Trials - Bengali June 15172.38 KB
Information about Summary trials - Cantonese Jan 15.pdf187.21 KB
Information about Summary trials - Latvian June 15234.15 KB
Information about Summary trials - Lithuanian June 15156.73 KB
Information about Summary trials - Mandarin June 15179.79 KB
Information about Summary trials - Nepalese June 15117.37 KB
Information about Summary trials - Polish Jan 15.pdf111.68 KB
Information about Summary trials - Portuguese June 15207.77 KB
Information about Summary trials - Punjabi Jan 15.pdf295.57 KB
Information about Summary trials - Romanian June 15228.69 KB
Information about Summary trials - Russian Jan 15.pdf155.25 KB
Information about Summary trials - Slovakian June 15176.72 KB
Information about Summary trials - Turkish Jan 15.pdf132.32 KB
Information about Summary trials - Urdu Jan 15.pdf397.75 KB
Information about the Petition Procedure - English June 153.62 MB
Information about the Petition Procedure - Bosnian June 153.24 MB
Information about the Petition Procedure - German June 15261.25 KB
Information about the Petition Procedure - Italian June 1562.58 KB
Information about the Petition Procedure - Mandarin Jan 15.pdf165.32 KB
Information about the Petition Procedure - Polish June 15315.36 KB
Information about the Petition Procedure - Pushtu Jan 15.pdf317.62 KB
Information about the Petition Procedure - Slovakian Jan 15.pdf173.6 KB
Information about the Petition Procedure Spanish June 15107.12 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials June 15167.45 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Albanian June 2015 54.62 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Bengali June 1595.13 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Cantonese June 15163.23 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Czechoslovakian Jan 15.pdf184.36 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Estonian June 1547.69 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - German June 1543.51 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Kurdish Jan 15.pdf161.91 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Lithuanian June 15183.09 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Polish June 15113.95 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Portuguese June 1551.77 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Punjabi Jan 15.pdf92.59 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Romanian June 15105.25 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Russian June 15118.26 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Somali Jan 15.pdf71.26 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Urdu Jan 15.pdf855.46 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials - Spanish June 15109.15 KB
Information about Sheriff and Jury trials -Turkish June 15174.65 KB
Information about High Court procedure - June 15100.7 KB
Information about High Court Procedure -Bengali.pdf2.48 MB
Information about High Court procedure - Cantonese.pdf345.58 KB
Information about High Court procedure - Hungarian - June 15149.55 KB
Information about High Court procedure - Polish - June 15203.91 KB
Information about Sentences June 153.88 MB
Information about Sentences -Bengali Jan 15.pdf184.37 KB
Information about Sentences - Kurdish Jan 15.pdf126.8 KB
Information about Sentences - Lithuanian June 15
Information about Sentences - Mandarin June 15262.58 KB
Information about Sentences - Polish June 15
Information about Sentences - Russian June 15196.37 KB
Information about Sentences - Turkish June 15186.3 KB
Information about Appeals June 1578.54 KB
Information about Appeals - Kurdish.pdf184.36 KB
Information about Appeals - Polish - June 15164.32 KB
Information about giving your statement Precognition - Polish June 15277.25 KB
Information about Giving your statement Precognition June 154.21 MB
Information for Victims of Human Trafficking - English Aug 2015727.13 KB
People with Learning Disability
People with Learning Disabilities and the Scottish Criminal Justice System916.96 KB
You may find the following "Easy Read" versions of the above booklet helpful:
Information about the Court725.18 KB
Information about Criminal Justice Social Work Services238.66 KB
Information about Prison Services278.09 KB
Information about Prosecution and Defence773.52 KB
Information about the Police216.7 KB
Information about Health and Social Work Services281.13 KB
Victim of Crime Leaflets - translated into: Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Gaelic, Hindi, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Punjabi, Russian and Urdu.
Victim Notification Scheme: Short/Long term offenders, additional info leaflet -translated into: Polish
Victim Notification Scheme - Long-Term Offenders and Offenders with Extended Sentences: Guidance for Victims - translated into: Polish, Slovak, Latvian, Lithuanian, Cantonese, Mandarin & Arabic
Victim Notification Scheme - Short-Term Sex Offenders: Guidance for Victims
Victim Notification Scheme - Making a Victim Statement - Guidance for victims making a victim statement, translated into: Albanian, Bengali, Cantonese, Estonian, French Canadian, Greek, Latvian, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Nepalese, Pashto, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Tigrinya, Urdu.
Being a Witness - Going to Court - A booklet for adult witnesses in criminal and children's hearing court proceedings.
Being a Witness - the Use of Special Measures booklet - A booklet for adult witnesses in criminal and children's hearing court proceedings.
Being a witness: An information booklet for young people in Criminal Proceedings
Being a witness: Helping people with learning disabilities who go to court: A guide for carers -A guide for carers, intended to help them support someone they care for with a learning disability, if that person is asked to be a witness and needs to go to court.
Being a Witness: I am a Witness in Court: A Guide for People with Learning Disabilities - A guide for people with learning disabilities who have been asked to be a witness in court.
Being a Witness: A Booklet for Children in Criminal Proceedings
Your child is a witness: a booklet for parents and carers
Information for Bereaved Families and Friends Following Murder or Culpable Homicide
Information to assist victims following rape or sexual assault
Information on other publications which you might find helpful is available on the Scottish Government Victims and Witnesses publications page, and their Victims of Crime in Scotland page.
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