Tougher community sentences needed, report says
22 May 08
Henry McLeish's report says work needed to increase public confidence in system
Community sentences need to be overhauled to give the public confidence that they work, a report will tell Scottish ministers, according to an article in today's Scotsman.
The findings relate to an investigation that looked into penal policy headed by former first minister Henry McLeish. He says that community sentences is an "area desperately needing to be fixed", so that they can be considered as proper punishments by the judiciary and the public alike. This in turn would reduce overcrowding in Scotland's jails, allowing the Scottish Prison Service to devote more time to the rehabilitation of serious offenders.
Mr McLeish is also concerned at the number of remand prisoners in jail and the increase in the number of female prisoners.
In his view it is essential to look at ways of making community sentences more substantial, and to make them more immediate, so that those sentenced start right away as is the case with custodial sentences.
The national standard is that such sentences should begin within 21 days, but longer delays often occur.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said an extra £9 million would be spent on community sentence options over the next four years to make them more robust and a viable alternative to prison.