Community Justice Scotland

Community Justice Scotland (Ceartas Coimhearsnachd Alba) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government,^[1] which is responsible for reducing reoffending. It launched in April 2017.

Community Justice Scotland

Ceartas Coimhearsnachd Alba
Agency overview
Formed	2017
Type	Executive non-departmental public body
Jurisdiction	Scotland
Headquarters	Saughton House, Edinburgh[1]
Employees	41 (Q1 2022)[1]
Annual budget	£2.92 m (2022-23)[1]
Agency executive	Karyn McCluskey, Chief Executive[1]
Website	communityjustice.scot

It was established by the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, replacing eight community justice authorities that were set up under the Management of Offenders etc (Scotland) Act 2005.^[2]

The organisation will oversee the new local arrangements, which aims to provide more effective rehabilitation in the community, following convictions.^[3] As well as having a role in assisting people released from custody, it will also be concerned with the management of people convicted of crimes who are not sent to prison.^[4]

Karyn McCluskey, who had been Director of the Violence Reduction Unit, was named chief executive in September 2016. Jean Couper was the initial chair.^[5] Lindsay Montgomery took over as chair from 13 May 2019.^[6]