Scotland may trial tagging under-16s

Seven Scottish councils may pilot the electronic tagging of young
persistent offenders.

Extending electronic monitoring of under-16s is one of the measures
in the executive’s Antisocial Behaviour Bill, which received royal
assent last month.

Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh, Highland, Moray, and East and West
Dunbartonshire have been asked by the executive to take part in the
pilot because they already have structured support services in
place.

Tagged offenders are provided with intensive support and monitoring
services. Tagging, used instead of secure accommodation, will be
imposed by an order through a court or the children’s hearing
system.

The executive has also announced plans to pilot two forms of
community-based sentences. The first allows the sentences of petty
or first-time offenders to be deferred so they can show that their
behaviour has improved. It will also give time for regular meetings
with social work staff.

An executive spokesperson confirmed that young offenders were the
most “likely recipients” of structured deferred sentences where
standard probation orders may be considered too “high
tariff”.

The four pilot areas will be announced next month and be provided
with an extra £300,000 a year to deal with the increased
demand on criminal justice social work.

The other new community sentence will be piloted from January in
Dundee, Inverness and Greenock. Courts will be able to issue
perpetrators of antisocial behaviour with up to 100 hours of unpaid
work under community reparation orders.