Victims being ignored by early prisoner release, says charity
Tackling prison overcrowding by the early release of inmates is being put ahead of victims' and public safety, a charity has said.Up to 390 prisoners sentenced to less than four years in jail are to be released after serving 40% of their sentence, rather than 50%, under the latest move from the Scottish government to reduce inmate numbers.They will be released in three tranches over a six-week period, starting on 18 February, with prisoners serving sentences for domestic abuse or sexual offences excluded.Victim Support Scotland (VSS) warned early release programmes had "raised anxiety among victims generally" and could erode trust in the justice system.
"We're seeing a situation where resources are taking priority over victim and public safety, it's not a position we are supportive of at all," VSS chief executive Kate Wallace said."The big concern is that it erodes trust in the criminal justice system as a whole and the problem with that is it can put victims off from reporting in the future."They've told us they feel de-prioritised in all these conversations and their safety is not a priority over prison officers and others due to the overcrowding crisis in prisons."We want people to come forward and report crime but these policy decisions and the way they've been done don't help with that."According to the latest figures, there were 8,332 in Scotland's prisons – above the target operating capacity of 8,007.Last summer 477 prisoners were released early to ease overcrowding, with 61 of them later returned to custody. Linda Pollock, deputy chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), said staff were focusing on rehabilitation work with prisoners whose release was imminent.She conceded that prison overcrowding had limited the amount of time available for such work but added: "We are prioritising those who are going to be released."We saw in the release last summer a small number of people have reoffended but we have worked with partners and learned from that," she added.
The Scottish government said victims who have already signed up to the Victim Notification Scheme will be told automatically by SPS if there is a change to the date of release of the prisoner in their case.Victim Support Scotland said the onus is currently on victims to sign up to the scheme and it wants to see a more "proactive" system.Ms Wallace said: "Often victims are asked quite early on in the justice process if they want to sign up to the notification scheme. There's no follow up if they change their mind."Many won't remember if they signed up to the scheme or not so if you're not sure contact either SPS or VSS or Children First and we can ask on your behalf."The last thing victims want is to bump into the person who committed a crime against them without anticipating that. It causes huge anxiety and trauma."They want to know when that person is being released and if there are conditions on that release in advance so they can plan for their own safety and get support."A Scottish government spokesperson said: "In line with trends seen elsewhere in the UK, Scotland's prison population has significantly grown in recent years and, consequently, this rise has impacted prisons and the wider justice system."We will continue to work closely with victim support organisations to ensure that accessible information is available to victims on the change to the release point for short-term prisoners."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
How I became one of Scotland's youngest female Advocates
Iona Young outlines the unusual path she has taken in her Scottish law career Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... At 26, I am one of the youngest female advocates in Scotland. I also specialise in both criminal and family law; an unusual combination, and one that many aspiring female advocates may not consider. Getting to this point has been a long and sometimes daunting journey and my journey from law student to advocate has not been a typical one. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The 'traditional' route to a career at the Bar involves completing a traineeship and then working as a solicitor for some years before becoming a devil at the Faculty of Advocates. I chose not to take this path. Instead of working as a solicitor for a period, I worked towards becoming an advocate at the earliest opportunity. Iona Young's journey from law student to advocate has not been a typical one I joined the Faculty of Advocates after completing my studies at the University of Strathclyde, followed by a traineeship at a solicitors' office. By foregoing the usual years-long period working as a solicitor, I knew I was opting for a shorter but more difficult journey. Having gone straight from completing my traineeship to the Faculty of Advocates I found preparing for its entrance exams without having any substantial gaps in my studying routine helpful. The Faculty's devilling course also involves periods spent in the classroom developing your advocacy skills. I didn't feel disadvantaged by not having spent some time practising as a solicitor, as this advocacy training is carefully designed to build upon your skills in a supportive learning environment. Initially, when I left university, I wanted to practice exclusively in criminal law. However, the solicitor's office where I completed my traineeship also practiced family law and I realised it was a discipline I enjoyed. I went on to spend a large portion of my time during my nine-month devilling training at the Faculty of Advocates shadowing an experienced family law advocate. This was a turning point in my career, which has led me, to this day, to practice both. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I was also fortunate enough to be awarded a Lord Hope Scholarship by the Faculty of Advocates to support me as I undertook my devilling training. The scholarship gives greater weighting to those in financial need or from groups currently under-represented. This was vital to me; devilling is a big financial commitment and I would not have been in a position to devil without it. I would encourage anyone considering a career at the Bar to consider applying for one of the sponsorships administered by the Faculty. Having completed my training, I was called to the Bar last year. I now enjoy the benefits of a varied and interesting career in law as an independent practitioner, specialising in both criminal and family law. I feel lucky that I have been able to experience both. It feels a very far cry from the classroom in Stranraer Academy where I was first inspired to pursue this career path while studying post-World War II international criminal law. As a member of the Faculty I am also involved in outreach projects in support of other young people who are considering a career as an advocate. This is my takeaway: no matter your background or the route you may take to get there, there is a home at the Faculty of Advocates for everyone.
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Mike Dailly: Prisoners in Scotland need hope not needles
The inquiry runs until late August. It will examine the effectiveness of drug detection and prevention strategies and the role of organised criminal networks in prison narcotic supply. Worryingly, the committee has heard that around 17 per cent of prisoners who weren't drug users before incarceration become substance users once in jail. Drugs enter prisons through various ways, including the use of drones to fly them onto the prison estate. Synthetic cannabinoids are prevalent along with bromazolam, benzodiazepines, cocaine and steroids. Drugs come in a range of formats, including paper, card, powder or a waxy substance. Kirsten Horsburgh, chief executive officer at the Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF) gave evidence to the committee on May 28. The SDF is a Scottish charity whose vision is for 'A Scotland free from drug-related health and social harm'. Its funding comes ostensibly from the Scottish Government and other statutory bodies. At the committee's May meeting, Ms Horsburgh said: 'We need to have the uncomfortable discussion about what harm reduction in prison means. Does it mean providing safer injecting equipment or safer smoking equipment? Does it mean having discussions with people about how they can use their drugs more safely?' The proposal made a stir. Are we now suggesting supplying free needles to prisoners to inject themselves with drugs? Giving out free vapes so people can smoke cannabis in jail? Annmarie Ward, chief executive officer of Faces and Voice for Recovery UK (FAVOR) believes the SDF's position is nonsensical. She said: 'Apparently, the answer to Scotland's prison drug crisis isn't less drugs in prisons, but more syringes to help the problem go smoothly. It's like solving knife crime by handing out free whetstones'. Annmarie notes that the Scottish Prison Service say violence in prisons is rising. Drugs are being flown in on drones. Inmates are vaping benzos and mixing synthetic opioids into their tea. She ridicules the SDF's answer to this problem by making drug use easier for inmates. We need to ask: Is this all we have to offer people in prison? Have we given up and now seek managerial solutions for human decline? For Annmarie Ward, the problem in Scotland is the lack of access to abstinence treatment, detox and rehabilitation services. Which is why FAVOR have backed a Right to Addiction Recovery Bill – currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament - introduced by Douglas Ross MSP. In England, some prisons offer abstinence-based recovery wings, acknowledging that going into prison might be a vital chance to break the cycle of drug use. We don't offer this in Scotland. Why not? As Annmarie Ward said: 'Prisons should be places where people are interrupted in their addiction, not supported in it. Where the chaos stops, not where it's managed more hygienically. "Needles and vape kits in Barlinnie won't restore dignity. They'll entrench dependency and signal, loud and clear, that the state has given up on these men'. If we want to achieve real harm reduction, we need to give human beings hope. We need to give people access to detox and rehabilitation.
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
Michelle Mone makes 'millions in profits' after selling Glasgow townhouses
The Scottish Mail on Sunday reports that Baroness Mone sold a £19m London townhouse and £6.8m Lady M Yacht last year. It comes after Glasgow-born Mone and her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman had £75m worth of assets frozen by the National Crime Agency (NCA). The couple are at the centre of a fraud probe over the firm PPE Medpro, controlled by Barrowman, that was awarded £203m worth of UK Government contracts through a 'VIP lane' during the Covid-19 pandemic. READ MORE: Supreme Court's sex ruling faces legal tests – will they succeed? In November 2023, Mone finally admitted her involvement with PPE Medpro for the first time, after years of denying any links to the company. It then emerged Barrowman was reportedly paid at least £65m from PPE Medpro's profits, later transferring £29m into a trust for Mone and her three adult children. Several properties were frozen under the Proceeds of Crime Act in 2023. And now, Mone has reportedly sold her Glasgow homes. The Mail on Sunday reports that there is no suggestion any of the property sales breached any existing orders put in place by the NCA. One townhouse in Glasgow's plush Park Circus was bought by Barrowman's Knox business group for £1.7m in 2020. The couple have now reportedly sold this to a photographer for £2m last year. Another nearby townhouse was sold for £2.8m, allegedly to a Scottish musician, who was not named. It was bought in July 2020 for just over £1.4m. A spokesperson for the NCA confirmed an investigation is still ongoing into PPE Medpro. 'The NCA opened an investigation in May 2021 into suspected criminal offences committed in the procurement of PPE contracts by PPE Medpro,' they said. 'This ongoing investigation remains a priority for the agency. READ MORE: Scottish independence 'already begun as UK political culture diverges' 'Investigations must pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry. In serious economic crime investigations these lines of enquiry can be incredibly complex – from worldwide financial tracing exercises to the need to examine large volumes of digital material. 'In such cases it can take considerable time to ensure that a thorough, independent and objective investigation is conducted.' PPE Medpro is also being sued by the Department of Health and Social Care, amid claims that the gown supplied by the firm were not fit for use. We previously told how Mone accused the NCA of "smearing [her] as a criminal".
