‘Unsustainable pressure’ on COPFS poses ‘huge risk’ to criminal justice system

It added that there was an “ever-increasing reliance” on employees’ goodwill to advance cases.

The society’s representative are due to give evidence to MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee today, along with the Scottish Police Federation and the Faculty of Advocates as part of an ongoing inquiry into the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).

The society states in a written submission: “The cut in the COPFS budget needs to be considered against a real-terms preservation of the budget for Police Scotland. That ring-fencing of police resources has not been matched by similar protection of prosecution and court resources. This disparity is incongruous and risks inconsistent levels of service delivery across the criminal justice system and challenges the capacity of prosecutors and the courts to continue to deliver.”

If the COPFS’ budget remained the same next year, the society said that this would amount to a reduction in real terms of 21.5 per cent.

And the number of full-time equivalent prosecutors has dropped by almost eight per cent since 2009.

The society added: “We fear that, not only will our members bear the consequences of these increased pressures, but there will inevitably be an impact on the wider justice system and the service provided to the public.”

A spokesman for the Crown Office said: “Our staff are exceptionally dedicated and committed.

“We have a very good and productive partnership with our trade unions and we are working with them and our staff groups to put specific measures in place to address the issues identified.”