Sacro
Sacro helps create safer and more cohesive communities across Scotland. From providing conflict resolution that prevents disputes from escalating to supporting prisoners on release, we'll work with the individual to repair harm and reduce conflict and reoffending. Sacro provides many services in our offices covering Scotland; they range from Criminal Justice and Youth Justice to our group of Mediation services.
Statement:
This is a pilot scheme which will work with individuals from the age of 12 years who has been charged with committing a sectarianism offence, across the central belt of Scotland to tackle intra-sectarianism attitudes and behaviour. The funding for the pilot will be run until 31st March 2015 which will then be evaluated by the Scottish Advisory Group.
The main strand of the service provided by Sacro is a Diversion from Prosecution Programme, suitability for which is decided by the Procurator Fiscal and/or Early Effective Intervention Team. On receipt of a police report, the Procurator Fiscal (PF) or Early Effective Intervention (EEI) Team can choose to divert the individual to Sacro’s Anti-Sectarianism Service (SASS), or other service provider.
It has been decided that initially that engagement with the programme will be voluntary and criminal charges are still subject to the criminal justice process, should the individual fail to complete the programme to a satisfactory level, we would then report back informing of the individual’s engagement levels.
The programme is based around six modules which can be completed within a group environment or on a one-to-one basis. The structured programme will be based on behavioural and attitudinal change, using Cognitive Behavioural Interventiontechniques. The sessions will support the individual to understand why they behave in a specific way and take ownership of their attitude and behaviours to ensure positive changes so as not to repeat the crime. At the end of the module, the individual will complete an action plan which will involve ongoing support and identify further needs which may also need to be addressed through other services provided by Sacro or other agencies.
The length of the programme will vary depending on the individual and or groups, as this is a pilot we are unsure of specific timescales, but we have indicated that this may be a duration of 14-weeks, however, this may be subject to change.
The individual must have committed an Intra-Christian sectarianism offence which is listed under the following options:
Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (This would only apply to section 74 of the act, however, this may also include Breach of the Peace aggravated by S.74)
Or
Threatening Behaviours at Football &Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012.
The areas which will be covered through the service are listed below, and each individual must reside in one of the areas specified.
- North & South Lanarkshire
- West Lothian
- Fife & Forth Valley
Definition of Sectarianism:
The SASS definition for sectarianism is defined through behaviours and attitudes, which the service has defined as:
“ …expressed in destructive patterns of relating which segregate, exclude, discriminate against or are violent towards a specified religious other, with significant personal and social consequences.”
Resources within www.actiononsectarianism.info
Sacro open day video explaining the SASS service.
Name: Sacro Anti-Sectarian Service
Address: Dalziel Building, 7 Scott Street, Motherwell, ML1 1PN
Website: www.sacro.org.uk
Telephone: 01698 337 208
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
