The Justice Sector Equalities Conference 2025 will unpack key stakeholders of the Scottish justice system. The conference will spotlight major institutions through presentations on their work, including good practice initiatives. Over the ten days leading up to August 5th, 2025, featured institutions will be highlighted to prepare delegates for the agenda and discourse of the full-day program.

Police Scotland, a significant pillar of the Scottish Justice system, has been on an elaborate journey towards becoming an anti-racist and anti-sexist force. This journey is a hallmark of the force’s Policing Together Strategy, initially led by then Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor and now by Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton. The foundation of this strategy for building an anti-racist force is rooted in the following principles:

• Recognising that discrimination exists in Scotland, the UK, and globally, as a systemic issue rooted in history and power imbalances.
• Working to understand problems and responses by being informed and guided by individuals and groups with real-life experience of discrimination.
• Actively challenging prejudice, discrimination, or racist stereotyping.
• Recognising the equal moral value of all individuals, regardless of skin colour, disability, gender identification, or sexual orientation, acknowledging everyone has virtues and flaws.
• Proactively tackling discrimination by identifying, preventing, and redressing it at structural, cultural, institutional, and personal levels.
• Contributing to the solution through a collective effort to provide professional service to all individuals, showing compassion for their circumstances, characteristics, and needs.
• Recognising that becoming an anti-discriminatory organization is a permanent endeavor requiring continuous education and active involvement and support from all at Police Scotland.
• Embracing the Public Sector Equality Duty (Equality Act 2010), with Police Scotland committed and accountable to tackling discrimination as both an employer and service provider.
• Acting against discrimination through Police Scotland’s values of integrity, fairness, respect, and upholding human rights.

At the 2024 conference, Assistant Chief Constable Paton discussed these principles as part of her brief and custodianship of the Policing Together Strategy. This year, Assistant Chief Constable Wendy Middleton, whose portfolio has executive responsibility over criminal justice, will welcome the conference. ACC Middleton will build upon ACC Paton’s previous work, bringing insight into the force’s ongoing efforts.

Contact events@fjssgroup.org or 0131 285 1013 or visit www.fjssgroup.org for more information. The conference is supported by The Scottish Government and Law Society of Scotland.