News Summary
Scotland has launched a new legal initiative to expedite shoplifting cases through the courts, effective December 16, 2025. The Summary Case Management (SCM) program aims to resolve cases swiftly by improving evidence sharing and reducing court backlogs. In collaboration with Police Scotland and various legal agencies, this approach seeks to alleviate burdens on the justice system while tackling rising retail crime, which has surged by 17% over the past year. This program promises faster court proceedings and increased efficiency in handling retail offenses.
Scotland Cracks Down on Shoplifting with Speedy New Justice System!
Big news for shoppers and businesses across Scotland! A major new legal push designed to get shoplifting cases through the courts much faster officially started yesterday, December 16, 2025. This exciting expansion of the Summary Case Management (SCM) initiative is all about making the justice system more efficient, clearing up court backlogs, and ensuring quicker outcomes for everyone involved.
This isn’t a solo effort; it’s a brilliant team-up involving Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), defence lawyers, groups that support victims, and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS). The SCM program has already proven to be a winner for other types of less serious crimes, like domestic abuse cases, by speeding things up significantly. The core idea is to get all the important evidence submitted and shared early on, aiming to resolve cases without endless court delays.
Getting Shoplifting Cases Moving Faster
So, what does this mean for shoplifting? Well, now, when a theft by shoplifting is reported, Police Scotland will immediately send crucial evidence, like video footage of the incident, straight to the Crown Office. This evidence will then be quickly shared with the defence team. The big hope is that this early sharing will encourage everyone – prosecutors and defence lawyers – to talk things over sooner, ideally leading to a decision right at the very first court hearing.
This proactive approach is expected to dramatically increase the number of shoplifting cases sorted out at their first court appearance. Not only does this make the legal process much faster, but it also means fewer people, including police officers and busy retail staff, will have to show up in court unnecessarily. This is a huge relief, especially for small shops that can’t afford to have staff away from their posts. A trial run in Dundee previously showed just how effective getting video evidence early can be in handling and resolving shoplifting cases more smoothly.
The SCM Story So Far
The Summary Case Management (SCM) journey began in September 2022 as a trial in Sheriff Courts in Dundee, Hamilton, and Paisley. It was so successful that it spread to Glasgow and Perth earlier this year. A review of the pilot program clearly showed that cases in these areas were wrapped up much quicker, making things considerably better for victims and witnesses.
In a truly impressive feat, the pilot meant that over 500 non-jury trials didn’t even need to be scheduled over a 19-month period, all thanks to SCM. Plus, an estimated 18,000 witness call-outs were avoided during the same time, with about 11,000 of those being for police officers. The positive effects of SCM are set to be rolled out across all Sheriff Courts in Scotland by early 2026.
Fighting Backlogs and Going Digital
This new initiative is part of a bigger national effort to tackle the huge backlog of criminal court cases, a problem made worse by the recent global pandemic. The Scottish Government set up the Criminal Justice Board (CJB) in April 2020 to keep an eye on how the justice system was coping and to guide the ‘Recover, Renew and Transform’ (RRT) program. This board plays a vital role in steering the ongoing modernization of the entire criminal justice system.
Helping these changes along is the incredible Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC). This is a groundbreaking £33 million initiative from the Scottish Government, creating a secure, unified platform for sharing digital evidence – from the moment a crime happens all the way to the courtroom. DESC allows everyone involved, from police officers and prosecutors to defence lawyers and judges, to collect, store, process, and manage all sorts of digital evidence, including CCTV, photos, and even data from mobile phones. This system is truly revolutionizing the justice process, aiming for faster and more effective case resolutions. It cuts down on the need to physically move evidence around, saving a lot of time for police and witnesses, and leading to more focused and timely investigations. Members of the public and businesses can also easily submit digital evidence through a secure link provided by a police officer. The DESC system is expected to be fully available nationwide by autumn 2025.
Taking on Rising Retail Crime
The decision to bring shoplifting under the SCM initiative comes at a crucial time, as retail crime has been a growing worry across Scotland. Shoplifting figures have unfortunately seen a significant jump, rising by 17% compared to last year and a shocking 124% since June 2021.
In response, Police Scotland has also launched a dedicated Retail Crime Taskforce, backed by £3 million in funding from the Scottish Government for the 2025/26 financial year. This taskforce has a smart four-point plan: prevent, pursue, protect, and prepare. It uses clever data analysis and intelligence to target repeat offenders, especially in areas hit hardest by retail crime, such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Lanarkshire. The taskforce will make full use of the DESC system to achieve quicker justice outcomes for those charged with retail crimes.
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