We need a proper plan to address prison capacity - leader comment
The pressures facing the prison service Scotland are not unique by any means, but they are particularly acute
Scotland’s prisons remain at bursting point, despite controversial early release programmes.
Everyone agrees it is a crisis, so what to do? Is the answer to simply release more prisoners before the end of their sentence to free up space?
That would seem to be the SNP’s go-to solution but, after several such moves, it is clear that this is neither a desirable nor a long-term solution. The suggestion that those convicted of sexual crimes or killing may soon be released early is abhorrent.
The Tories are clear where the blame lies. Russell Findlay said yesterday that prison overcrowding was the SNP’s “problem entirely of their own making”. That, of course, ignores the fact that England has had similar capacity and, up until May 2024, it had been the responsibility of Conservative ministers to sort out.
Many factors have caused the situation, but where Mr Findlay is right is in pointing out the disgraceful situation in Scotland regarding the replacements for HMP Barlinnie and Highland.
“We’ve got a new prison in Glasgow that was supposed to be ready,” says Mr Findlay.
“It’ll be at least six years late, and instead of costing £100 million as they said it would, it’s now going to cost at least £1 billion – that’s the scandal.”
He is not wrong.
Like so much which goes wrong in Scotland, the roots can traced to the lack of proper long-term planning and an inability to manage major building projects.
The pressures facing the prison service Scotland are not unique by any means, but they are particularly acute.
Until this is addressed in a proactive way – estate planning, sentencing guidelines, crime prevention – instead of reactive – letting out prisoners early - nothing is going to change.
The people who judges have assessed need to be in prison either for punishment, to protect the public, or both should stay there.
Keeping communities safe is the first responsibility of government. It has difficult to square that with simply letting offenders off.