The role of the criminal courts in Scotland

• Role of the court: Punish


  The judge decides how someone should be punished for the crime
• Role of the court: Determine guilt


  The court will hear all the arguments and evidence to decide if someone has committed a crime
• Role of the court: Provide justice

  The courts have a responsibility to make sure the right person is convicted and victims know justice has been served
• Power of the court: Fines


  The courts have the power to charge someone money to pay for the damages their crime has cost the community
• Power of the court: Sentences


  The courts have the power to send people to prison for their crime, taking away their freedoms
• Imprison people
• Reoffending rates are high
• Some guilty people get away
• Purpose of prison: Protect


  Society must be protected from violent and persistent offenders by locking them away
• Purpose of prison: Punish

  To make the offender suffer and pay for what they have done
• Purpose of prison: Rehabilitate


  Prisons should be aimed at changing the character of the criminal so they keep within the law in future
• Purpose of prison: Deter


  People are aware of the punishments that can happen if they commit a crime and therefore are less likely to do so
• Purposes of prison sentences in Scotland

  • Protect
  • Punish
  • Rehabilitate
  • Deter