{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995/section-51",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995/section-51.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1995/46",
  "legislation_title": "Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-procedure-scotland-act-1995",
  "path": "section/51",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "51",
  "heading": "Remand and committal of children and young persons.",
  "text": "(1) Where a court remands or commits for trial or for sentence a person under 21 years of age who is charged with or convicted of an offence and is not released on bail or ordained to appear, then, except as otherwise expressly provided by this section, the following provisions shall have effect—\n(a) . . . if he is under 18 years of age . . . , the court shall commit him to the local authority which it considers appropriate to be detained—\n(i) where the court so requires, in secure accommodation (as defined in section 202(1) of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 1)) ; and\n(ii) in any other case, in a suitable place of safety chosen by the authority;\n(aa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(b) if he is a person who has attained the age of 18 years, the court may commit the person to a young offenders institution,\n(bb) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(2) Where any person is committed to a local authority . . . under any provision of this Act, that authority . . . shall be specified in the warrant, and he shall be detained by the authority . . . for the period for which he is committed or until he is liberated in due course of law.\n(2A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(4A) The local authority which may be appropriate in relation to a power to commit a person under paragraph (a) of subsection (1) . . . may, without prejudice to the generality of those powers, be—\n(a) the local authority for the area in which the court is situated;\n(b) if the person is usually resident in Scotland, the local authority for the area in which he is usually resident;\n(c) if the person is subject to a compulsory supervision order or interim compulsory supervision order, the implementation authority (as defined in section 202(1) of the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (asp 1).\n(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(6) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations make provision about the detention in secure accommodation of children who have been committed to a local authority under subsection (1)(a).\n(7) Regulations under subsection (6) may, in particular, make provision about the circumstances in which such children may remain in secure accommodation despite attaining the age of 18 years (provided that no person may remain in such accommodation after attaining the age of 19 years).\n(8) Regulations under subsection (6) are subject to the affirmative procedure.",
  "extent": "S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(1)(a) repealed (27.6.2003) by Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 7), ss. 23(3)(a)(i), 89; S.S.I. 2003/288, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in s. 51(1)(a) substituted (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 18(2)(a)(i), 38(3); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(c) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(1)(a) repealed (13.12.2010) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 64(2)(a)(i), 206(1); S.S.I. 2010/413, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(1)(a) substituted (27.6.2003) by Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 7), ss.{23(3)(a)(ii)}, 89; S.S.I. 2003/288, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(1)(a) substituted (1.8.1997) by 1997 c. 48, s. 56(2)(a); S.I. 1997/1712, art. 3, Sch. (subject to arts. 4, 5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(1)(a)(i) substituted (24.6.2013) by The Childrens Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (Modification of Primary Legislation) Order 2013 (S.S.I. 2013/211), art. 1, sch. 1 para. 10(6)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 51(1)(aa) repealed (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 18(2)(a)(ii), 38(3); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(c) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "S. 51(1)(b)(bb) substituted for (b) (27.6.2003) by Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 7), ss.{23(3)(c)}, 89; S.S.I. 2003/288, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(1)(b) substituted (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 18(2)(b), 38(3); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(c) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "S. 51(1)(bb) repealed (13.12.2010) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 64(2)(a)(ii), 206(1); S.S.I. 2010/413, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(2) repealed (27.6.2003) by Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 7), ss.{23(4)}, 89; S.S.I. 2003/288, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(2) repealed (27.6.2003) by Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 7), ss.{23(4)}, 89; S.S.I. 2003/288, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(2) repealed (27.6.2003) by Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 (asp 7), ss.{23(4)}, 89; S.S.I. 2003/288, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "S. 51(2A) repealed (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), s. 38(3), sch. para. 16(2); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(j)(ii) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "S. 51(3)(4) repealed (13.12.2010) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 64(2)(c), 206(1); S.S.I. 2010/413, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F16",
      "text": "S. 51(4A) inserted (1.8.1997) by 1997 c. 48, s. 56(4); S.I. 1997/1712, art. 3, Sch. (subject to arts. 4, 5)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F17",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(4A) substituted (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 18(2)(c), 38(3); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(c) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F18",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(4A) repealed (13.12.2010) by Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13), ss. 64(2)(d), 206(1); S.S.I. 2010/413, art. 2, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F19",
      "text": "Words in s. 51(4A)(c) substituted (24.6.2013) by The Childrens Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 (Modification of Primary Legislation) Order 2013 (S.S.I. 2013/211), art. 1, sch. 1 para. 10(6)(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F20",
      "text": "S. 51(5) repealed (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 18(2)(d), 38(3); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(c) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F21",
      "text": "S. 51(6)-(8) inserted (28.8.2024) by Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024 (asp 5), ss. 18(2)(e), 38(3); S.S.I. 2024/211, reg. 2(c) (with reg. 3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 51 applied (1.12.2014) by The Mutual Recognition of Supervision Measures in the European Union (Scotland) Regulations 2014 (S.S.I. 2014/337), reg. 1, sch. 2 para. 18(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 51(1)(a)(ii) modified (1.4.1997) by S.I. 1996/3255, reg. 14(1)(a)S. 51(4)(b) modified (1.4.1997) by S.I. 1996/3255, reg. 14(1)(a)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/46/section/51",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-05T03:43:46.035735+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}