Appearing in court
If you have been charged by the Police, under certain circumstances you may be given an opportunity by the Procurator Fiscal (PF) to avoid prosecution and/or avoid attending Court, and you may think that getting legal representation is not necessary. But if you are ordered to attend Court you should get yourself a solicitor / lawyer who will give you advice and represent you at the Court hearing. They will also help you apply for Legal Aid if you cannot afford legal fees. More information on legal aid can be found here:
A list of local solicitors can be found online: in the phone book or be obtained from the Clerk to the Court.
Even if you have not found yourself a legal representative you must attend Court on the day and time that you have been told.
Justice Social Work court services
Justice Social Work staff may be present in some courts to provide information and advice to sentencers. They may also interview you if you have been sentenced to a community order or custody to ensure you understand what will happen next, deal with any personal practical issues eg notifying relatives, and look out for any risks to your safety.
Bail Supervision
Bail Supervision allows you to be released by the court on bail on the condition that you meet with a member of the Justice Social Work team a specified number of times a week instead of being held on remand in custody. The aim of these meetings is to support you to comply with the conditions of your bail and address areas in your life related to offending eg help to access services, benefits, health and well-being.
Justice Social Work will provide an assessment of suitability for bail supervision to the court prior to bail being granted. This will include the frequency of appointments with you, confirmation of the address you will be staying at and a programme of work including contact with other agencies, which will be undertaken with you to support you with your bail supervision.
Any failures to comply with the conditions of bail will be reported to the Police and you may be arrested and returned to court.
Electronic Monitoring
Electronic monitoring is a tool the court can use to promote compliance with a bail order and any relevant conditions attached to it. It can give reassurance to the court that your movements will be restricted to certain times and places. For example to check that you remain in a specified place for a specified period (or stay away from a specified place). This will be monitored by G4S who will arrange for your tag to be fitted. A tag is an ankle bracelet which sends location information to G4S. This could also be a condition of Bail Supervision.
For more information on electronic monitoring: