Work to protect residents and prevent re offending will be discussed by Perth and Kinross Council's Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee next week.
Despite ongoing challenges — including court backlogs and pressures on the prison system — the Council remains committed to improving outcomes for individuals in the justice system and the wider community.
By addressing the underlying causes of offending and promoting purposeful, stable lives, Community Payback Orders play a vital role in enhancing public confidence in community sentencing and creating safer communities across Perth and Kinross.
Three reports will consider the Council's work with statutory partners and third‑sector organisations to support community justice, where those who have broken the law are held to account and supported to contribute to their communities in a bid to deter reoffending.
The 2024-25 Community Justice Update report highlights a wide range of work led by Perth and Kinross Council teams in collaboration with partners.
This includes the ongoing development of the Complex Needs Project, which connects individuals with multiple and complex challenges to vital support across housing, mental health, substance use and benefits advice.
The report also sets out progress in expanding Bail Supervision for all adults aged 16 and over, and the promotion of electronic monitoring as an alternative to custody. It also discusses the continued delivery of early‑intervention schemes such as Diversion from Prosecution and the Right Track structured deferred‑sentence programme for young people.
The Council has also strengthened a number of specialist supports, including the One Stop Women's Learning Service and the Evolve Men's Service, both of which offer trauma‑informed, holistic support to help people address the underlying causes of offending.
The introduction of Child Impact Assessments, delivered in partnership with Families Outside and funded through the Scottish Government's UNCRC Innovation Fund, has also made a significant contribution by improving awareness of the needs of children and young people affected by a family member's involvement in the justice system.
The Community Payback Order (CPO) Annual Report for 2024 reveals that the number of new CPOs imposed increased by 8%, and the number of individuals receiving a CPO rose by 11% compared to the previous year.
Supervision requirements saw an 11% rise, while unpaid work requirements remained steady, with a notable increase in the average number of hours imposed.
Projects undertaken over the last year include garden makeovers for individuals with vulnerabilities, work with the Council's Public Transport Unit on bus‑shelter maintenance, and the installation of sandbag‑storage units in the Craigie area of Perth for use during flooding incidents.
Finally, the Tayside MAPPA Annual Report 2024/2025 outlines the management of sex offenders across Tayside.
It shows there were 145 offenders on the programme in Perth and Kinross — an increase of 18 from the previous year. It is difficult to determine the exact reason for this rise, although it may reflect courts addressing the backlog in sentencing.
Of these 145 individuals, four were managed at Level 2 (jointly by CJSW and Police Scotland), and no one was classified under MAPPA Category 3, the most serious category.
Councillor Tom McEwan, convener of Perth and Kinross Council's Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee said: "These reports show the real-world impact of community justice — from visible improvements through unpaid work to robust public protection via MAPPA.
"With trauma‑informed support, early intervention and strengthened supervision, we're reducing harm and helping people to live purposeful lives. My thanks to our staff and partners for making our communities safer."
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