Organisations representing victims of crime are urging the Scottish government to consider exemptions for sex offenders and individuals convicted of domestic abuse from proposed early release plans for long-term prisoners. The proposals would see long-term prisoners, serving four years or more, automatically freed after completing two-thirds of their sentence.
Katie Johnston, who was raped in 2016, expressed deep concern about the prospect of automatic early release for individuals convicted of similar crimes. She stated that the early release of such prisoners is "almost a punishment on the victim again."
Justice Secretary Neil Gray said the proposals aim to address record overcrowding in Scotland's jails and help reintegrate prisoners into society. He noted that the proposed change in the automatic release point would apply to individuals regardless of the severity of their crime, as they are serving determinate sentences and will eventually be released.
Scotland's prison population reached an all-time high of 8,600 in May, exceeding capacity by 800. The government estimates that if the new rules had been in place in February of this year, at least 630 inmates would have been freed immediately. Prisoners serving life sentences and orders for lifelong restriction would be excluded from the changes.
Victim Support Scotland's interim chief executive, Debbie Adams, questioned whether there should be exemptions for certain crimes or if further assessments are needed for targeted crimes like domestic abuse. Marsha Scott, chief executive of Scottish Women's Aid, suggested that unless risk assessment processes and community safety measures are greatly improved, sex offenders should be automatically exempted.