saso

The Annual Conference

SASO's annual conference is Scotland's main criminal justice conference, bringing together a wide range of people involved in the Scottish criminal justice system and reflecting the diversity of the Association's membership.

Each year the conference is on a different topical theme and attracts distinguished speakers from Scotland and beyond. Recent speakers have included Professor Dirk van Zyl Smit, Professor Bill Whyte, Chief Constable Stephen House, Lord Woolf, Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Rt Hon Henry McLeish, former First Minister, Dr Nancy Loucks, Prof David Wilson, Prof. Sir Anthony Bottoms, the Solicitor General and Professor Andrew Coyle.

The conference is a friendly occasion with excellent opportunities for informal discussions.

41st Annual Conference
Friday 19th and Saturday 20th November 2010
at Doubletree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro Hotel
"Managing Risk and Re-integration"

Can we tell who is dangerous, can we really assess risk and can we manage their reintegration into communities? Are those with mental illness properly identified and then managed appropriately?

Conference Chair: The Rt Hon Lord Gill, Lord Justice Clerk, QC, PhD, FRSE, FRSAMD.
Keynote speakers:Professor Jill Peay, Mannheim Centre for the Study of Criminology and Criminal Justice, London School of Economics: "Mental Disorder and Crime: Some Unresolved Questions". Dr Rajan Darjee, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist and Clinical Lead for MAPPA/Sexual Offending NHS Scotland Forensic Network, and Dr Katharine Russell, Consultant Clinical Psychologist; both of NHS Lothian Sex Offender Liaison Service, The Orchard Clinic, Royal Edinburgh Hospital: "Managing challenging and sexual offenders in the community – what we should do and what we shouldn’t" . Professor Hazel Kemshall, Research Professor, Community and Criminal Justice,De Montfort University: "Reducing Risk – Integration or Aversion? Risk assessment, management and the use of IPP in England & Wales" . Yvonne Gailey, Chief Executive, Risk Management Authority: "Scotland’s Approach to Serious Violent and Sexual Offenders: Early Lessons".

The SASO Memorial lecture will be given by Professor David Cooke, Glasgow Centre for the Study of Violence, Glasgow Caledonian University: "Violence Risk Assessment and the Illusion of Certainty".

Please note that in a change to the previous format, the conference will be held over two days, commencing 1.00 pm on Friday 19th November and closing at 5 pm on Saturday 20th yet will retain its full programme of events including keynote presentations, panel discussions, interactive workshop, poster displays and exhibition. Conference dinner, to which all delegates are invited, will be held on Friday 19th November.

SASO Annual Conference 2010 Programme

SASO Annual Conference 2010 registration form

40th Anniversary Conference
Friday 13th to Sunday 15th November 2009
Peebles Hydro
"From Kilbrandon to McLeish and Beyond: 2020 Vision?"

Conference Chair: The Rt Hon Elish Angiolini, QC, Lord Advocate

Keynote Addresses will be given by Professor Dirk van Zyl Smith, Professor of Comparative and International Penal Law, University of Nottingham, Professor Bill Whyte, Professor of Social Work Studies in Criminal and Youth Justice and Director of the Criminal Justice Social Work Development Centre for Scotland, University of Edinburgh, Chief Constable Stephen House, QPM, Strathclyde Police, John Dunn, Deputy Crown Agent and Alan Baird, Director of Social Work and Health, Dundee City Council.

Saturday's interactive workshop, led by Professor Mike Nillis, will explore the topic "Media, crime and punishment in contemporary Scotland" with media guests Lucy Adams (The Herald), Reevel Alderson (BBC Scotland TV), Elizabeth Cutting (Scottish Courts Service) and Tom Fox (Scottish Prison Service). Saturday's events will close with a round table dicussion, "Sentencing - whose business is it anyway?" chaired by Baroness Veronica Linklater, with guest panellists John Scott, Sheriff David Mackie, Paul Morron OBE and Dan Gunn OBE.

Following Sunday morning's keynote addresses, Professors Fergus McNeil and Lesley McAra will provide a research perspective with presentations entitled "Recollecting the Past, Reforming the Present: Lessons from oral histories of Scottish probation" and "The future of academic research in Scotland" respectively.

Conference Programme and speaker biographies

For further details contact Irene Cameron, SASO Administrator (icameron@a-m-s-online.com)

2008 Conference
Friday 14th to Sunday 16th November
Peebles Hydro
"Towards a Scottish Penal Policy Consensus"

Conference Chair: David Strang, QPM, Chief Constable, Lothian and Borders Police

Keynote Addresses will be given by Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice; Rt Hon Henry McLeish, former First Minister and Chairman Scottish Prisons Commission; Dr Nancy Loucks, Independent Criminologist and Professor David Wilson, Professor of Criminology at the Centre for Criminal Justice Policy and Research, University of Central England.

Saturday’s interactive workshop will be led by Dan Gunn, Governor of Glenochil Prison, exploring the topic "How much can prison actually do?" and the first day's events will close with a panel led discussion entitled "Community Justice Authorities: a difference in the making?", chaired by Professor Sandy Cameron (Chair of the Parole Board for Scotland) with guest panellists Chris Hawkes, Chief Officer CJA, Helen Wright, Convener CJA and Dr Nick Bland, Scottish Government Criminal Justice Analyst proferring views on "Community Justice Authorities: A difference in the making?".

Sunday morning’s Panel Session will comprise a series of presentations on Community Options with contributions from Routes out of Prison (Laurie Russell, Chief Executive of the Wise Group); 281 Centre (Marnie Hodge, Development Manager, Turning Point); Community Links Centre (Keith Hastie, Senior Manager (Operations), SACRO Lothian & Borders and The Role of Criminal Justice Social Work (Sandy Riddell, Director of Community Services, Moray Council and Chair, ADSW Criminal Justice Standing Committee).

Conference Programme and speaker details
Registration Form (.pdf)

For further details contact Irene Cameron, SASO Administrator (icameron@a-m-s-online.com)

2007 Conference:

The 2007 Conference, entitled "Alcohol and Violence" was held at the Peebles Hydro Hotel from 16th to 18th November. The event was chaired by Baroness Vivien Stern, CBE with keynote addresses from the following speakers:

In addition there was an interactive workshop, "Violence and Alcohol: Alternative Strategies" led by Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan QPM, Violence Reduction Unit, Strathclyde Police and a panel led discussion "10 ways to Improve the Situation" chaired by Sheriff Principal Brian Lockhart. Panel members included representatives from ADAT, the Drinks Industry, Medical Profession and Police.

2006 Conference: "Justice for Youth" Peebles Hydro

The theme of SASO's Annual Conference in 2006 was "Justice for Youth". The aim was to explore the major issues which arise not only in the Children's Hearings but also among young adult offenders, that group - 16, 17 and 18 year olds - who are the subject of so much political and media attention. What are the best and most effective approaches? How are the Children's Hearings coping with the major changes which have taken place since they were established? What is the role of special courts and of new forms of sentencing? What community facilities are needed to make hearing and court decisions effective?

Speakers included Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People, Rob Allen, Member of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, Professor Malcolm Hill, Andrew Forrester, Sheriff Robert Dickson, Sheriff David Bicket, Alan Finlayson.

"The Present State of Youth Justice in Scotland". Speech delivered to the Conference by Kathleen Marshall.

Programme, speaker notes and booking form