Police Scotland Probationer Training Definitions

Vocabulary flashcards covering operationally relevant legal definitions from the Police Scotland Probationer Training Programme, updated 20th January 2025.

Production

An article, document, or anything (including animal) which is connected to a crime or offence or other matter under review.

Warrant

An authority in writing which is issued by: a Magistrate, i.e. a Justice of the Peace or Sheriff; or Other Competent Person; Directing police officers to take a course of action which might not otherwise be lawful.

Evidence

Evidence includes all legal means (exclusive of mere argument) which tends to prove or disprove the truth of the subject before the court.

Hearsay Evidence

Evidence at second hand given by a person who is merely repeating something said by another person.

Abettor

A person who incites, instigates, encourages or counsels another to commit a crime or offence.

Accessory

Anyone who aids the perpetrator with advice or assistance before or at the time of the crime or who acts in concert by watching whilst the crime or offence is committed.

Assault

A crime at common law, and is every attack directed to take effect physically on the person of another, whether or not actual injury is inflicted.

Attempt to Pervert the Course of Justice

A crime at common law which can be described as any overt and intentional action calculated, to interfere with either the normal investigation of a crime, or the bringing of an offender to justice.

Breach of the Peace

A crime at common law and is constituted by one or more persons conducting himself or themselves in a riotous or disorderly manner, where such conduct is severe enough to cause alarm to ordinary people and threaten serious disturbance to the community.

Culpable and Reckless Fireraising

Is committed when property is set on fire as a result of a reckless act by the accused.

Forgery and Uttering

A crime at common law, and consists in the making and publishing of a writing feloniously intended to represent and pass for the genuine writing of another person.

Fraud

Consists of Falsehood (false representation by word or mouth, writing, or conduct), Fraud (intention to deceive and defraud), and Wilful imposition (a practical result inducing a person to do what they otherwise would not have done).

House

Includes any dwelling house or other roofed building, finished or unfinished, or any part of a building used as a separate dwelling, which is secured against intrusion by unauthorised persons.

Malicious Mischief

A crime at common law constituted by wilful, wanton, and malicious destruction of, or damage to the property of another.

Offensive Weapon

Includes any article made or adapted for the use of causing injury to the person or intended by the person having it with them for such use by either themselves or by some other person.

Perjury

A crime at common law, committed by any person who wilfully makes a false statement under oath or affirmation equivalent to oath.

Principal

The person who actually commits the crime or offence.

Subornation of Perjury

A crime at common law, committed by any person who counsels or induces, by any means, a person to give false testimony in judicial proceedings.

Reset

A crime at common law committed by any person with intent to deprive the owner, to receive and keep property, knowing that it had been appropriated by theft, robbery, embezzlement or fraud.

Robbery

A crime at common law committed by any person who feloniously appropriates property, by means of violence or threats of violence.

Theft

A crime at common law and is the taking or appropriating of property without the consent of the rightful owner or other lawful authority.

Vandalism

An offence for any person to wilfully or recklessly destroy or damage the property of another without reasonable excuse.

Wasting Police Time

A crime at common law, committed by any person who maliciously makes a false statement to the police, with the intention and effect of causing unnecessary police investigation.

Wilful Fireraising

Committed when a person intentionally sets fire to any form of property.

Disability

Physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Discrimination

Treating someone differently, especially because of feelings or prejudices about their sex, race, religion, disability etc.

Gender Re-assignment

Proposing to undergo, undergoing or having undergone any process or part of a process to change physiological or other aspects of sex.

Racial Group

A group of persons defined by reference to race; includes colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins.

Religion or Belief

Any religion, religious belief or similar philosophical belief.

Sexual Harassment

Any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

Stereotyping

A prejudicial mental image held about particular groups of people which is based around false, distorted, simplified or incomplete knowledge about that group.

Domestic Abuse

Any form of physical, verbal, sexual, psychological or financial abuse occurring in a relationship between partners (married, cohabiting, civil or otherwise) or ex-partners, whether in the home or online.

Hate Crime

Any crime motivated wholly or partly by malice and ill will (hostility or prejudice) based on one or more actual or perceived characteristics.

Homicide

When a human being kills another human being. The victim must be self-existent, not an unborn child (unless the child has begun to breathe).

Missing Person

Anyone whose whereabouts is unknown and: circumstances are out of character; the context suggests crime; or the person is at risk of harm to themselves or another.

Murder

A common law crime committed when a person kills another without necessary cause and where there is either an intention to kill or a wilful act so reckless as to show utter disregard for consequences.

Occupancy Rights

The right to continue to occupy or to enter and occupy the matrimonial home, together with any child of the family.

Alcohol

Spirits, wine, beer, cider or any other fermented, distilled or spirituous liquor, excluding alcohol of a strength of 0.5% or less at the time of sale.

Ammunition

Any ammunition for any firearm including grenades, bombs and other like missiles, whether capable of use with a firearm or not.

Controlled Container

A container of any description which is or was capable of holding liquid and is made from a material which could cause injury if thrown or propelled at a person.

Firearm

A lethal barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged; includes prohibited weapons, component parts, and sound/flash accessories.

Period of Designated Sporting Event

A period which commences 2 hours before the start, or advertised start, and is concluded one hour after the event.

Relevant Area (of a sports ground)

Any part of the ground to which spectators are granted access on payment or from which the event can be viewed directly.

Driving

A person is held to be 'driving' when they have control of the speed and direction of the vehicle.

Motor Vehicle

A mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on the roads.

Public Road

A road which a roads authority has a duty to maintain.

Road

Any way (other than a waterway) over which there is public right of passage, including bridges, tunnels, verges, and parts thereof.