Scottish Government to Release 550 Prisoners in Effort to Reduce Overcrowding
Scotland’s prisons are facing severe overcrowding, leading the government to implement an “emergency release” plan for 550 inmates.
Starting at the end of June, this plan will be carried out in four phases, according to Justice Secretary Angela Constance, who emphasized the importance of notifying victims before offenders convicted of crimes against them are freed.
With over 8,000 individuals currently incarcerated in Scotland, the government’s decision to release some prisoners early aims to alleviate the strain on the system.
Following a similar move in England, where high-risk prisoners were released abruptly to create more space, Scotland plans to finalize the early release regulations at Holyrood before they come into effect on June 13.
Under this program, prisoners with less than 45 days remaining in their sentence will be released on June 26 and 27, with subsequent groups being freed in the following weeks leading up until mid-July.
As part of this initiative, stringent guidelines prevent the early release of individuals serving life sentences or convicted of serious offenses, such as terrorism, sexual, or domestic violence crimes. Prison governors will retain the authority to block the release of anyone deemed an “immediate risk” to others.
While the decision to release inmates early is aimed at preventing riots and maintaining order within the prison system, critics have voiced concerns over transparency and public safety.
With similar challenges faced by prisons in England and Wales, efforts to mitigate overcrowding through early releases are being explored across the UK.
PA Media contributed to this report.
