MSP calls for action to cut prisoner numbers

Published on Monday 25 February 2008 09:30

EDINBURGH West Liberal Democrat MSP Margaret Smith has called for tough community sentences to replace the shortest jail terms.

She spoke out after the Scottish Prison Service's provisional statistics revealed that the daily average number of prisoners has increased by three per cent.

Mrs Smith, who is Lib Dem justice spokeswoman at Holyrood, said: "Prisoner numbers just keep on rising.

"Before our prisons exceed their maximum capacity, like England and Wales, the Scottish Government must take action."

She added: "Liberal Democrats do not believe the solution is to just to keep on building more prisons.

"Short-term sentences don't work – 75 per cent of offenders sent to prison for less than six months re-offend within two years, compared with 42 per cent of those given community service.

"A short prison sentence can mean losing your job, family and home, leading to many people re-offending on release."