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.
The conference is a friendly occasion with excellent opportunities for informal discussions.
42nd Annual Conference
"The impact of Europe on Criminal Justice in Scotland"
18th and 19th November 2011 Dunblane Hydro Hotel
Margaret Small (Honorary Secretary) and Irene Cameron (Administrator) at the registration table.
Networking over tea and sandwiches.
Margaret Smith, Criminal Justice Authorities (CJAs) National Co-ordinator and colleague.
Former SASO Chair (now Honorary Vice President) Professor Alec Spencer
Professor Alec Spencer opening the Conference and introducing Lord Brodie as Conference chair.
Lord Brodie QC: introduction to conference
Conference Chair The Hon Lord Brodie QC with Professor Estella Baker
M. Olivier Tell, Head of Procedural Criminal Law, DG Justice, European Commission.
Carole Wilkinson, Chair, Scottish Children's Reporter Administration
Conference Chair The Hon Lord Brodie QC with the Rt Hon the Lord Hope of Craighead
For media reaction and commentary to this speech see CjScotland's blogpost on Devolution issues, human rights and Scottish criminal appeals to the UK Supreme Court (especially entry for 21.11.11).
John Scott QC
John Scott QC. Criminal Law in Scotland post-Cadder: are human rights really coming home?
Professor Sonja Snacken
Professor Tony Kelly
Panel discussion Rona Sweeney, Director of Prisons, SPS, Ruth McQuaid, Area Procurator Fiscal for Dumfries and Galloway, COPFS, Chief Supt. Paul Main, ACPOS Solicitor Access Implementation Team, Professor Fergus McNeill, Professor of Criminology and Social Work, University of Glasgow, discuss the changes, accommodations and implications of the ECHR (and the UK Supreme Court) on criminal justice agencies in Scotland.. Warning. There is a long lead-in before the discussion starts.
Closing address by Kenny MacAskill MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice. Warning. There is a long lead-in before the address starts.
In November 2011, a group of postgraduate students from the MRes Criminology, the MSC Criminology and Criminal Justice, and the MSc Transnational Crime, Justice and Security programmes at the University of Glasgow had the opportunity to attend the annual Scottish Association for the Study of Offending (SASO) Conference held in Dunblane, Scotland. This is what they made of it ...
41st Annual Conference
"Managing Risk and Re-integration"
(November 2010)
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?
Keynote speakers:
Chair’s Introduction: The Rt Hon Lord Gill, Lord Justice Clerk, QC, PhD, FRSE, FRSAMD
Professor Jill Peay, Mannheim Centre for the Study of Criminology and Criminal Justice, London School of Economics:
"Mental Disorder and Crime: Some Unresolved Questions"(.pptx).
PDF
Dr Rajan Darjee, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist and Clinical Lead for MAPPA/Sexual Offending NHS Scotland Forensic Network, and Dr Katharine Russelll, 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" (.pptx)
PDF
First session: Lord Gill, Professor Peay, Drs Darjee and Russell. (Speech starts at 1.10).
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"(.ppt)
PDF
Yvonne Gailey, Chief Executive, Risk Management Authority:
"Scotland’s Approach to Serious Violent and Sexual Offenders: Early Lessons"(.ppt)
PDF
Interactive Workshop:"Mental Health/Low Level Offending and Reintegration"(.ppt) led by Dr Andrew Fraser, Director of Health & Care, Scottish Prison Service and Stuart Storrie,Strategic Innovation and Change Manager, NHS Tayside.
PDF
Monica Wilson, Professional Advisor, Effective Practice Unit, Scottish Government:
"Challenges of trying to get a whole system approach for re–integration –working with domestic abuse offenders and their families. The Caledonian System"(.ppt)
PDF
Donald Findlater, Director Research and Development, Lucy Faithfull Foundation, on a unique pilot programme for internet offenders run by Stop it Now!:
"Getting the offender to pay"(.ppt)
PDF
SASO Annual Conference 2010 Programme
Fourth session:Monica Wilson, Donald Findlater.
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
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
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:
- Professor Martin Plant PhD, Professor of Addiction Studies, University of the West of England - "Alcohol: Offending in Context"
- Dr Tapio Lappi-Seppala, Director, National Research Institute of Legal Policy, Finland - "The Experience in Finland of Tackling the Links between Alcohol and Violence"
- Nel Whiting, Learning and Development Worker, Scottish Women's Aid - "Deconstructing Domestic Abuse"
- Dr Richard Simpson, MSP, GP and Psychiatrist, former Deputy Minister for Justice - "Practical Politics Turning Rhetoric into Reality"
- Gordon Nicholson, CBE, QC, Chairman Nicholson Committee on the Review of Liquor Licensing Law in Scotland - "What is the Role of Licensing Law?"
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