Scotland has its own way of keeping victims informed and involved as a case moves through the courts, and afterwards too if there’s a prison sentence – separate from England & Wales’s Victims’ Code and Probation Service Victim Contact Scheme.
COPFS Victim Information and Advice (VIA). The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service – Scotland’s prosecution service, and the equivalent of the CPS in England & Wales – runs a Victim Information and Advice service. VIA keeps you updated as a case moves forward, explains how the court process works, and can put you in touch with other support if you need it.
The Victim Notification Scheme (VNS). If the offender was sentenced to 18 months or more, you can register for the VNS, which works in two parts. Part 1 lets you know – usually within 48 hours – about key events like the prisoner’s release date, any transfer, temporary release, escape, or return to custody. Part 2 gives you the chance to submit your own written views to the Parole Board for Scotland before any parole or release decision is made. For shorter sentences, a simpler Short-term Notification Scheme, run directly by the Scottish Prison Service, will let you know the release date.
Victim Support Scotland. This is Scotland’s national victim support charity, independent of COPFS and the courts. They offer practical and emotional support to anyone affected by crime, whether or not you’ve reported it to the police.
How to register. VIA will usually get in touch with eligible victims and send the right forms, but you don’t need to wait – you can contact VIA directly yourself to ask about registering.
England & Wales has a different system – the statutory Victims’ Code and the Probation Service’s Victim Contact Scheme (for sentences of 12 months or more). See our How are the victims of crime dealt with? page for that system.