Consultation on Equality Outcomes for 2025 to 2029

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is Scotland’s sole prosecution and death investigation authority.  We receive reports about crimes from the police and other reporting agencies and decide what action to take in the public interest, including whether or not to prosecute.  We also examine deaths that need further explanation and investigate allegations of criminal conduct by police officers.

Our purpose is to secure justice for the people of Scotland. Our work helps to ensure that Scotland is safe from crime, disorder and danger. By investigating deaths that need further explanation, we ensure that appropriate lessons are learned with a view to reducing the incidence of avoidable deaths.

We recognise that caring for the welfare of our people, supporting their development, strengthening their engagement and motivating them to achieve our goals are the most significant contributions we can make to achieving our purpose.

We are alert to the diverse needs of bereaved relatives, victims, witnesses and communities and we protect the rights of those accused of crime – and at all times we uphold our values of showing respect and being professional.

We respect the European Convention on Human Rights and the public sector equality duty in the Equality Act 2010 in all areas of our work. Through our published Equality Outcomes, we demonstrate the importance of equality in service delivery, staff development, recruitment profile and in the development of our policies and practice.

We work closely with partners in the criminal justice system and beyond to protect the public and create a safe and inclusive society.

We act to uphold the rule of law independently, robustly, fairly and effectively.

In 2023, we published our Strategic Plan which describes the vision, aims and activities of COPFS over the next four years.  In particular, we have identified the following priorities:

• Improve the experience of women and children within the justice system
• Improve how we communicate with our customers and partners and the support we offer to our most vulnerable service users
• Achieve quicker conclusions to criminal and death investigations.

Continuous service improvement is the central principle running through our Strategic Plan. Crucial to fulfilling that vision is creating a supportive, open and delivery-focussed culture where our colleagues feel trusted, valued and are motivated to provide a quality service at all times.

An equality outcome is a result which we aim to achieve in order to further one or more of the three tenets of the General Equality Duty:

• Eliminate discrimination
• Advance equality of opportunity
• Foster good relations across all protected characteristics

By focusing on outcomes rather than objectives, we aim to achieve practical improvements for people who come into contact with the prosecution service, whether as a victim, a witness, an accused person or a bereaved family member. 

Equality outcomes are therefore results which we aim to achieve and which deliver specific and identifiable improvements in the services and support we provide for people entering the Scottish criminal justice system.

We have therefore developed a set of six Equality Outcomes, linking directly to our Strategic Plan, which provides the framework for positive action to ensure inclusion and equality of opportunity:

1. People who live or work in Scotland are aware of the role of the prosecution service in the Scottish criminal justice system.
2. The services provided by COPFS are suitable and accessible to all who need to use them.
3. Our employees will act fairly and without bias towards all victims, witnesses and accused persons, and be sensitive to individual needs, to ensure that the service we provide, delivers an equal opportunity to everyone to access justice.
4. COPFS staff are knowledgeable about equality legislation and treat all victims, witnesses, accused persons and colleagues with dignity and respect.
5. Scotland will be a safer place for everyone as a result of our collaborative working with other organisations.
6. COPFS is an inclusive employer with a workforce which proportionately reflects the diversity of Scottish society and where staff have an equal opportunity to achieve their full potential.

We look forward to working collaboratively with stakeholders and our justice partners over the next four years to eliminate unlawful conduct, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between protected groups.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is consulting on our Equality Outcomes for 2025-2029.

Please send any feedback you would like to make.

By email to: DiversityTeam@copfs.gov.uk

By post to:

Diversity Team
Policy and Engagement
25 Chambers Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1LA

The closing date for email responses to the consultation is Friday 21 March 2025.