The process behind the sentencing of young people in Scotland has been revealed in newly released videos.
Three animated short stories will explain guidelines for the sentencing of people under the age of 25 in a bid to fully inform the general public.
Published by the Scottish Sentencing Council, each video will look at the guidelines’ key themes.
The first will look at the importance of maturity in relation to the assessment of a young person’s culpability for an offence, the second will explain why rehabilitation is a primary consideration in sentencing, and the final video will be on the need to treat each young person on an individual basis.
The guidelines are informed by evidence such as how much the brain develops and what contributes to offending by young people.
Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull, a judicial member of the council and chairman of its Sentencing Young People Committee, said: “We felt that a series of animated videos would be an effective way to explain these matters to a general audience in a straightforward and visually interesting way.
“We hope that the videos will help to raise awareness and understanding of the guideline and the issues it addresses.
“The council is particularly keen for them to be seen and shared by young people in secondary schools and other educational establishments, and developed them with that audience in mind.”
The new guidelines came into place in January 2022.
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