News In Focus
13 July 2007
Hard labour for non payment of fines
Different proposals for dealing with fine defaulters have been put forward by the Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, according to an article in today's Herald.
Mr MacAskill wants to end the practice of sending defaulters to prison. What he proposes is that those with enough money to pay the fine have their cars seized or assets frozen, while offenders who can't pay carry out hard labour in the community.
Mr MacAskill said this would remove the "flotsam and jetsam" from prisons and that community sentences would ensure repayment for harm caused.
The article adds that Mr MacAskill feels that many communities accept that minor offenders are a nuisance but that they should not go to prison. From 1 September next year, courts will no longer be able to lock up offenders who fail to pay fines of £500 or less. Instead, they will be given community sentences in the form of Supervised Attendance Orders.
In 2005, almost 7,000 people were in prison for not paying fines, with 85% of them having defaulted on fines of less than £500.