Response to the report of the Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion released

Date: 28th June 2017
Category: Non-discrimination

Following the publication of the report last year by the Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, Prejudice and Community Cohesion, the Scottish Government have released their response which also outlines actions they will take to take forward the recommendations of the advisory group.


The report addresses recommendations that were given by the advisory group in key areas such as strategic coordination and leadership, terminology, public awareness and education, justice, public services and employment, digital and online abuse, and data collection and evidence. The government have committed to taking steps to tackle hate crime such as developing a country-wide awareness-raising campaign about the effects of hate crime on individual.

Other actions the government commits to taking in the report include:

  • Establishing a national multi-agency delivery group with Ministerial oversight to take forward the implementation of the Advisory Group's recommendations.
  • Working through the Race Equality Framework to engage with minority ethnic communities in building community cohesion and safety, and improving the lives of Scotland's minority ethnic communities
  • Publishing guidance for delivery of restorative justice in Scotland which will ensure that where restorative justice processes are available, these will be delivered in a coherent, consistent, victim focussed manner across Scotland
  • Agreeing a hate crime charter with public transport operators which provides clear, common standards and consistent processes for dealing with hate crime on public transport
  • Publishing an update on progress relating to the implementation of the Advisory Group's recommendations in 2020.


 

Hate crime continues to affect children across Scotland, particularly those from ethnic minority communities, those who identify as LGBTI, and those with disabilities. Reports of hate crime continue to increase across many of these groups despite actions taken by the Scottish Government.

The issue of hate crime in Scotland has been addressed in Together's State of Children's Right report 2016 (p.32).