The solicitor general called for more openness

The Solicitor General for Scotland, Elish Angiolini QC, was calling for agencies to "reach out" to the communities they serve to help make their services more approachable.

The Scottish Executive's legal chief was due to address senior politicians and legal professionals at a Home Office conference in London.

She was due to say that all parts of the system must understand and respond to the needs of the communities they are charged with protecting.

Those of us in the criminal justice system must engage with communities we serve Elish Angiolini, Solicitor general

Elish Angiolini said: "The time when the police, lawyers and judges could sit in their offices and carry out their duties in a detached and aloof way is long gone.

"Those of us in the criminal justice system must engage with communities we serve.

"This is an essential process. Experience shows that by reaching out to communities we can demystify the criminal justice system for the public, making it a more approachable, open and understandable experience for those who have to come into contact with it."

The solicitor general was leading a discussion group on community accountability at the Criminal Justice Serving the Community conference.

The event is looking at ways of increase engagement between legal agencies and communities.