Scottish Prison Service chooses WordWave

Under the terms of the new contract, WordWave will create the official written record at any high profile or complex legal proceedings brought against SPS over the next 18 months.

“At this stage it’s hard to predict how often we’ll need WordWave’s help,” explains SPS Procurement Manager David Wares. “While we previously pulled in court reporting support on an ad hoc basis, we’ve now decided that where we need an accurate or timely record of proceedings, it’s better to have a clear process in place – hence the new contract.”

It’s the first time WordWave has provided its realtime reporting service in Scotland as part of a long-term contract, although it did cover the high profile proceedings brought by the widow of Alf McTear against Imperial Tobacco, which were heard at Edinburgh’s Court of Session in 2003.

The realtime service uses leading software LiveNote® to capture what’s said and create an instant written record, which appears on participants’ computer screens, allowing them to read and make notes as the case progresses. It can also be used to manage evidence – by clicking on a link in the transcript, users can view video clips, photos or other visual or audio submissions.

Says WordWave’s Business Development Director Vicky Harris: “Our realtime service has been tried and tested in courtrooms from London to Singapore and at key public inquiries including the Hutton Inquiry, the Bloody Sunday Inquiry and the Shipman Inquiry. We’re delighted to have now been given the opportunity to prove ourselves in Scotland, and we’re looking forward to tailoring the service to the needs of SPS.

SPS manages 15 prisons north of the border, from the largest, Barlinnie, to the smallest, Inverness, looking after an average of 6,620 prisoners a day.

Find out more about WordWave’s realtime reporting service by contacting the Sales Team on 020 7421 4067/4034 or at: sales@wordwave.co.uk

Links:
www.sps.gov.uk