The primary purpose of Community Justice Authorities (CJAs) is to bring together a broad range of agencies to coordinate approaches towards the effective targeting of services for offenders, at a local level, in order to reduce their risk of reoffending.  It is a partnership in recognition that a consistent, evidence based approach will make best use of all resources and that no single agency can manage a reduction in re-offending alone.

Reducing Reoffending is a key priority in the Scottish Government’s ‘Strategy for Justice in Scotland’.  At present Scotland's 8 CJAs are the lead statutory bodies responsible for reducing reoffending and they do this by leading their Partners in the development and delivery of Area Plans, as required by The Management of Offenders Etc (Scotland) Act 2005.