Achi news desk-
Significant parts of the Scottish justice system are currently within Holyrood’s powers, but some key areas – including drug policy – remain reserved for Westminster.
Other examples include laws relating to firearms and gambling.
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The paper states that Scotland’s independent judiciary and the role of the Lord Advocate would continue after independence.
The Court of Session (for civil matters) and the High Court of Magistrates (for criminal matters) would continue as the highest courts in Scotland and together would become the Supreme Court of Scotland.
Announcing the paper on Thursday, Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “There is more we could do with independence”.
He said: “Police and prosecutors in Scotland would regain access to tools to pursue criminals across borders that were lost following Brexit, such as the Schengen Information System and the European Arrest Warrant.
“These are vital to combat sophisticated criminal networks and help victims get justice even when the offender lives outside Scotland.
“With the power to make our own decisions, we could also improve and further embed our public health approach to justice issues, extending this to addictions such as drugs and gambling.
“This would enable future governments to consider measures that would better address the specific needs and circumstances of people in our communities, such as safer drug use facilities, raising the legal age of gambling, and licensing stronger firearms .”
He said independence could lead to “a more effective method of improving justice outcomes, reducing burdens on the justice system and further reducing the number of victims of crime”.
