College Hosts Criminal Justice Conference

The conference is an important event for students as it gives them access to current priorities and connections within the justice community. This year’s theme was ‘Justice for All: Advancing Equality and Human Rights in Scotland’s Criminal Justice System’.

Nearly 200 healthcare, social care and social sciences students heard from speakers including Iain Corbett from the Children’s and Young People’s Centre for Justice, Linda Quinn from the Children’s Hearings Scotland Learning Academy, West Lothian Women’s Aid, MD Rahman who is a Community Relationships Specialist at Police Scotland and Kevin Neary from Aid and Abet.

Speakers shared their knowledge and expertise, offering valuable perspectives on the challenges and developments in Scotland’s criminal justice system. Students also heard a video message from Angela Constance, Scottish Government Justice Secretary.

Lecturer Kenny McKay helped lead and organise the event. He said: “This was another successful justice conference where our students learned about the justice system and how it works. This is really useful for their course and progression in their qualifications. The conference lets our students hear about what goes on in the real world, what different organisations do and learn from people who have direct experience with the justice system.”

In addition to keynote presentations, students took part in workshops throughout the afternoon. The event ended with a Q&A panel which gave students a chance to ask questions, explore real-world applications of justice and gain further knowledge from a range of professionals.

Principal of West Lothian College, Jackie Galbraith said: “Conferences like this give students access to leading speakers which definitely enhances their learning at college. I’m grateful to all the speakers and to college staff who organised this excellent annual conference which keeps getting better each year!”