News Summary
On December 16, 2025, a significant initiative was launched in Scotland to address rising shoplifting rates. This expanded Summary Case Management (SCM) project aims to streamline the prosecution process for shoplifting cases, enhance legal efficiency, and reduce court backlogs. Key stakeholders, including Police Scotland and the Crown Office, are now required to submit key evidence early in the process. This strategic approach hopes to resolve more cases at first appearances, benefiting both the justice system and small retailers impacted by staff absences.
Edinburgh, Scotland – Major Initiative to Tackle Shoplifting Launched Across Scotland
A significant legal initiative aimed at streamlining the prosecution of shoplifting cases and enhancing efficiency within Scotland’s criminal justice system was officially extended to cover shoplifting offences yesterday, December 16, 2025. This expansion of the successful Summary Case Management (SCM) initiative, a judge-led collaboration, seeks to accelerate justice outcomes and reduce court backlogs across the country.
The move involves key partners including Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), defence solicitors, victims’ organisations, and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS). It builds upon the success of the SCM pilot which has already demonstrated improvements in case resolution for other types of summary offences, notably domestic abuse cases. The initiative prioritises early submission and disclosure of evidence, aiming for quicker resolutions and a reduction in unnecessary court appearances.
Streamlining Shoplifting Cases for Quicker Justice
Under the extended initiative, Police Scotland is now required to submit key evidence, such as video footage capturing the offence, to the Crown Office at the initial reporting stage of theft by shoplifting cases. This crucial evidence will then be promptly disclosed to the defence. The primary goal is to foster early engagement between COPFS and defence legal teams, ideally leading to a resolution at the first court appearance.
This proactive approach is expected to significantly increase the proportion of shoplifting cases resolved at their first calling in court. Such an outcome not only expedites the legal process but also means fewer witnesses, including police officers and retail staff, will be cited unnecessarily. This reduction in unnecessary citations is particularly beneficial for small retailers who can be negatively impacted by staff absences. A pilot programme in Dundee previously highlighted the effectiveness of providing early video footage in improving the management and resolution of shoplifting cases.
Broader Success of Summary Case Management
The Summary Case Management (SCM) pilot initially commenced in September 2022 across Sheriff Courts in Dundee, Hamilton, and Paisley. Following its initial success, it was expanded to Glasgow and Perth earlier this year. An evaluation of the pilot revealed that cases within these courts were resolved more swiftly, greatly enhancing the experience for victims and witnesses.
During a 19-month period, the pilot led to over 500 summary (non-jury) trials not needing to be scheduled directly due to SCM. Additionally, an estimated 18,000 witness citations, including approximately 11,000 for police officers, were avoided unnecessarily during the same timeframe. The positive impact of SCM is expected to be rolled out to all Sheriff Courts across Scotland by early 2026.
Addressing Court Backlogs and Embracing Digital Transformation
This initiative is part of a wider effort to address the backlog of criminal court cases, a challenge exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Scottish Government established the Criminal Justice Board (CJB) in April 2020 (State-level) to oversee the justice system’s response to the pandemic and manage the ‘Recover, Renew and Transform’ (RRT) programme (State-level). The CJB plays a crucial role in providing strategic oversight for the ongoing transformation of the criminal justice system (State-level).
Supporting these reforms is the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC), a world-leading £33 million Scottish Government initiative (Nationwide) for sharing digital evidence from the crime scene to the courtroom. DESC is a secure, unified platform that allows police officers, prosecutors, defence lawyers, court staff, and judges to collect, store, process, and manage various types of digital evidence, including CCTV footage, photographs, and data from mobile devices. This system aims to modernise and streamline the justice process, ultimately achieving faster and more effective case resolution (Nationwide).
The DESC system reduces the need for manual, physical transfer of evidence, saving significant time for both police and witnesses, and enabling more focused and timely investigations (Nationwide). Members of the public and businesses can also easily submit digital evidence via a secure link provided by a police officer. The national roll-out of DESC is anticipated to be completed by autumn 2025.
Tackling Rising Retail Crime Across Scotland
The extension of the SCM initiative to shoplifting cases comes amid increasing concerns about retail crime across Scotland. Shoplifting figures have seen a significant rise, increasing by 17% compared to the previous year and by 124% since June 2021.
In response, Police Scotland has also launched a dedicated Retail Crime Taskforce, supported by £3 million in funding from the Scottish Government for the 2025/26 financial year. This taskforce focuses on a four-pronged approach: prevent, pursue, protect, and prepare. It targets repeat offenders using analytical data and intelligence, particularly in areas experiencing high levels of retail crime such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Lanarkshire. The taskforce will utilise the DESC system to achieve earlier criminal justice outcomes for individuals charged with retail crimes.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the latest legal initiative in Scotland?
- A judge-led initiative involving Police Scotland, the Crown Office, defence solicitors, victims’ organisations, and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service was extended to cover shoplifting offences on December 16, 2025.
- Who is involved in the extended Summary Case Management initiative?
- The initiative is a judge-led collaboration involving Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), defence solicitors, victims’ organisations, and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS).
- What is the main goal of extending the initiative to shoplifting cases?
- The main goal is to streamline the prosecution of shoplifting cases, accelerate justice outcomes, and reduce court backlogs across Scotland.
- How will the initiative streamline shoplifting cases?
- Police Scotland will submit key evidence, such as video footage, to the Crown Office at the initial reporting stage. This evidence will then be promptly disclosed to the defence to foster early engagement and aim for resolution at the first court appearance.
- What is the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC)?
- The Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) is a world-leading £33 million Scottish Government initiative (Nationwide) for sharing digital evidence from the crime scene to the courtroom. It is a secure, unified platform for collecting, storing, processing, and managing various types of digital evidence.
- Why was the Criminal Justice Board (CJB) established?
- The Criminal Justice Board (CJB) was established by the Scottish Government in April 2020 (State-level) to manage the justice system’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and oversee the ‘Recover, Renew and Transform’ (RRT) programme (State-level).
- What is the Retail Crime Taskforce?
- The Retail Crime Taskforce is a dedicated unit launched by Police Scotland, supported by £3 million in funding from the Scottish Government for the 2025/26 financial year, to tackle rising retail crime across Scotland.
Key Features of the Case Management Initiative Extension to Shoplifting
| Feature | Description | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Initiative Name | Summary Case Management (SCM) extended to shoplifting | State-level |
| Announcement Date | December 16, 2025 | State-level |
| Key Stakeholders | Police Scotland, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), defence solicitors, victims’ organisations, Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS) | State-level |
| Primary Objective | Accelerate justice outcomes, reduce court backlogs, enhance efficiency in shoplifting cases | State-level |
| Evidence Submission | Police Scotland to submit key evidence (e.g., video footage) to COPFS at reporting stage | State-level |
| Evidence Disclosure | Early disclosure of evidence to defence legal teams | State-level |
| Resolution Goal | Aim for resolution at the first court appearance | State-level |
| Previous Successes | Improved resolution of other summary offences, including domestic abuse cases; reduced unnecessary witness citations | State-level |
| Roll-out | Expected to be fully implemented across all Sheriff Courts in Scotland by early 2026 | State-level |
| Supporting Technology | Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) used for digital evidence management | Nationwide |
| Related Initiatives | Police Scotland Retail Crime Taskforce (supported by £3 million Scottish Government funding for 2025/26) | State-level |
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