McArthur responds to record high prison population

Responding to reports that Scotland’s prison population has hit a record high, despite the SNP’s early release of inmates, Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur said:

"Scottish prisons are full to bursting. Despite the emergency release of prisoners by Scottish ministers the prison crisis shows every sign of getting worse.

“When prisons are overflowing, it is harder for staff to maintain order and harder to steer prisoners away from future reoffending.

“More than 1 in 5 of those being held in prison have not yet been convicted.

“Robust community-based measures are a key part of the solution to prison overcrowding. They can ease pressure on the system and ensure people get a credible alternative to prison time. The Scottish Government must do more to improve enforcement of these orders.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see a modern prison estate that strikes the correct balance between punishing, rehabilitating and reducing reoffending. To achieve that, the government must get serious about clearing court backlogs, giving staff the resources they need and driving down the use of remand.”