Reoffending reduction pilot at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to include men

The Problem Solving Approach, a pilot project of theScottish government is being trialled at the court over the next year.

It was originally aimed at female repeat offenders who commit lower level crimes and have complex needs.

But now it has been widened to include male offenders

A Scottish government spokesman said: “The Problem Solving Approach is about working with women who have offended to address some of the underlying causes of that behaviour and prevent them committing further crimes.

“This is part of our wider effort to reduce reoffending and prevent future damage to families and communities by providing support to help people rehabilitate.

“We are pleased that the initiative has now been extended to include men.”

A recommendation from the Angiolini Commission on Women Offendersprompted the scheme. The commission looked into the increasing number of female prisoners at Cornton Vale.

The project attempts to reduce recidivism by using structured deferred sentences in order to deal with the underlying issues that lead to offending.

Launched last November, the programme sees cases dealt with by a sheriff, procurator fiscal and social workers.

If the pilot is deemed a success following an evaluation, it may be rolled out elsewhere