home
Skip to content
  • About us
    • About us
    • Aims and accountability
    • Who we are
    • Meetings
    • Committees
    • Recruitment
    • FAQ
  • Sentencing information
    • Sentencing information
    • Introduction to sentencing
    • How do courts decide a sentence?
    • Community sentences
    • Custodial sentences
    • Maximum and minimum sentences
    • Disposals and appeals
    • Information for victims
  • Sentencing guidelines
    • Sentencing guidelines
    • Approved guidelines
    • Guidelines in development
    • How are sentencing guidelines developed?
    • About sentencing guidelines
  • Publications
    • Publications
    • Guideline judgments
    • Sentencing Statements
  • Research and engagement
    • Research and engagement
    • Consultations
    • Research
    • Engagement
  • Education resources
    • Education resources
    • Jargon buster
    • Myth buster
    • 'If you were the judge' case studies
    • Lectures and lesson plans
  • News and media
    • News and media
    • News
    • Scottish Sentencing Conversations Podcast
    • Spotlight on Sentencing Blog
    • Spotlight on Sentencing Circular
    • Videos
    • Contact us
  • ?
  • A-Z
Scottish Sentencing Council Logo
  1. Home
  2. Education resources
  3. Jargon buster

Jargon buster

All
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Verdict

This is the decision reached at the end of a trial. There are three verdicts in Scotland: guilty; not guilty; and not proven. Guilty means that the accused was found to have committed the crime(s) and not guilty means that the accused was not found to have committed the crime(s). Not proven has the same result as ‘not guilty’ which means the accused is acquitted and cleared of the offence.

Victim

This is someone who has been directly affected by the crime committed. Before a criminal case has been proved in court, a person can be referred to as an 'alleged' victim.  

Victim statement

This is written by victims of crime telling the judge how the offence has affected them – physically, emotionally and financially. The court must when sentencing have regard to any victim statement which has been put before it, to the extent that it considers the information in the statement to be relevant to the offence.

 

Contact us/ media enquiries

 

Social media policy

 

Scottish Sentencing Council, Parliament House, Edinburgh, EH1 1RQ

Tel: 0300 790 0006 Email: sentencingcouncil@scotcourts.gov.uk
Follow us on social:
  • Accessibility
  • Complaints
  • Cookies
  • © Crown Copyright
  • FAQs
  • Jargon Buster
  • Privacy
  • Site Map
  • Useful links