Youth Justice

RENFREWSHIRE RAMPS SERVICE

Both the Minister and Deputy Minister for Justice were in Paisley this afternoon for the launch of the Youth Justice Group report and the Executive's response to this document. Both Cllr Tommy Williams Deputy Leader of Renfrewshire Council (Convener for Social Work and speaking on behalf of COSLA) and Ms Jamieson suggested that the young people are the future of Scotland and that there are a relatively small population of persistent offenders. Cllr Williams pointed out that RAMPS is an excellent service and that it has made a big difference to the youth offending rates in Renfrewshire.

Cllr Williams, the Minister Cathy Jamieson and Deputy Minister Hugh Henry (also a local MSP for Paisley and Renfrewshire) all spent a large part of the afternoon speaking to both the parents and young people involved with the project, they asked questions of the young people about how they felt the project had helped them. I was most impressed with Ms Jamieson and her instincts with regards to the young people and the protection of their identities when a photo journalist began to take photos.

It has been suggested by her opponents that Ms Jamieson does not know what she is doing, my advice would be to keep doing what she is doing at present because everyone who met her today was impressed with her interest and honesty.