News In Focus
4 May 2005
Parole chief attacks reoffending plans
Professor James McManus, chairman of the Parole Board for Scotland, has called into question the Executive's plans to curb reoffending.
Giving evidence yesterday to MSPs on the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Bill, he said that the moves would be lucky to achieve a 5% reduction and that home detention curfews (HDCs) and electronic tagging alone would not protect community safety.
Without extra support, he said, HDCs were just a mechanism for reducing the prison population.
Recent figures have shown that about six out of 10 prisoners are reconvicted within two years of their release.