Justice, not a lack of space, should decide when Scotland's prisoners win their freedom

Releasing inmates early because prisons are overcrowded may be necessary, but it is also a scandal

Some might say that a new poll which found high levels of public opposition to the Scottish Government’s policy of releasing prisoners is a statement of the obvious. However, in addition to finding that half the respondents were either “strongly” or “somewhat” opposed to the idea, Survation uncovered the astonishing fact that eight per cent “strongly support” the SNP’s strategy.

It’s unclear how many of these people take the view that there is no choice, given the severe overcrowding of Scotland’s jails, and how many simply like the idea of opening the prison gates, but if the latter group represents any sizable proportion, then there are more anarchists in this country than we like to imagine.

Eight per cent of people in a new poll 'strongly' support the SNP's policy of releasing prison inmates early to ease overcrowding (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell) | Getty Images

Prisoners are normally eligible for release after 50 per cent of their sentence, and the legislation passed in November means those serving less than four years can be released after 40 per cent instead. Maybe some shrug and think, ‘so what?’

However, the point is that justice – not a lack of space – should be the deciding factor. Anything less is an affront to the rule of law.