How SNP's emergency early release of prisoners created more victims of violence
Releasing prisoners early only for them to reoffend sends a deeply worrying message to society that we may all have cause to regret
Scotland has one of the highest imprisonment rates in Western Europe, with 147 out of every 100,000 of its people behind bars. If sending so many to jail is the government’s policy, then it needs to ensure there are sufficient facilities to accommodate them all.
The emergency early release of hundreds of inmates because of overcrowding in Scotland’s prisons was, therefore, at least a tacit admission of mismanagement by the SNP. However needs must. Overcrowded prisons are not just a problem for the inmates, but also the prison staff who work there.
In May, Karyn McCluskey, chief executive of Community Justice Scotland, described the situation as a “human rights and social justice disaster in the making”. “A sky-high prison population creates a powder keg, packed with frustration, stress and tension. There is increased violence, higher likelihood of riots, suicide, and more drug use and self-harm. Staff are under greater pressure and face increased risks to their safety,” she wrote.
Freeing only non-violent prisoners
Sometimes, government is about choosing the least-worst option. However, the way early release was handled deserves considerable scrutiny.
According to new Scottish Prison Service figures, 57 out of the 477 inmates released early were back in prison within weeks, including 20 for non-sexual crimes of violence and 17 for crimes of dishonesty.
It was probably always likely that some of those released would re-offend, but the authorities could have done more to ensure that their crimes were non-violent, by only freeing non-violent inmates or at least prioritising their release.
Justice brought into disrepute
Kate Wallace, of Victim Support Scotland, said that they feared “many more new victims have been created”, noting that “only two per cent of victims were notified of their perpetrator’s early release”.
Scotland needs to think again about how many people it sends to prison. Government ministers should be looking for ways to make greater use of community sentences, while ensuring they are an effective deterrent and crime does not pay.
However, releasing prisoners early only for them to reoffend is bringing the justice system into disrepute and sending a deeply worrying message to society that we may all have considerable cause to regret if it continues for much longer.