Proportion of prisoners in Scotland among highest in Europe

The proportion of people in prison or on probation in Scotland is among the highest in Europe and significantly higher than elsewhere in the UK, figures show.

Statisitics show that Scotland has one of the highest prison populations in Europe. Picture: Greg Macvean

Statistics from the Council of Europe, a human rights organisation, show Scotland’s “correctional rate” is 548 people per 100,000 – behind only Russia and Lithuania.

The correctional rate for England and Wales was 459, while the Europe-wide median was 318.

The proportion of probationers alone is more than double the median for the rest of Europe.

However, the CoE said Scotland’s recording of the number of probation orders rather than the number of probationers could help account for its relatively high numbers.

Last week the Scottish Government brought forward plans to introduce a presumption against prison sentences of up to 12 months.

The move is designed to reduce the prison population and encourage the use of community-based alternatives.

Commenting on the CoE figures, Stirling University criminologist Dr Hannah Graham said: “These community justice statistics are concerning and illustrate a pressing need for sentencing and penal reform in Scotland. Now is the time for consensus and courage to act to reduce both our high probation rate and imprisonment rate.

“These statistics are good cause to ask whether community sentences are really being used as alternatives to prison, as they are called here, or are they actually being used alongside or in addition to prison?”

She added: “Behind the headline numbers, it’s worth remembering that punishment in the community and prison is associated with things like inequality, unemployment, poverty, social exclusion. Approximately three quarters of people on Community Payback Orders are unemployed or economically inactive. These issues affect lives and life chances, criminal and social justice.

“Our small European neighbours have low probation rates and low incarceration rates, and these are some of the safest countries in the world. Bold decisions and actions are needed for Scotland to be more similar or on par with our progressive counterparts, such as Finland and Norway.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We have taken bold action which has helped cut crime by around a third over the last decade and drive down reconviction rates to a 19-year low. A range of factors, such as those offenders who commit the most serious crimes serving longer prison sentences, means Scotland locks up a greater proportion of our people than any other nation in Western Europe.

“We continue to strengthen the provision of alternatives to custody, both to tackle the high remand population and to ensure community sentences can support rehabilitation and reduce re-offending to help keep crime down and communities safe. This includes an expansion of electronic monitoring, over £100 million to support community interventions and the forthcoming extension of the presumption against short sentences.”