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25 Sep 2012
Nearly half of those released from prison in Scotland reoffend within a year, statistics have revealed.
Scottish Government figures on reconviction show 45 per cent of criminals released from custody in 2009-10 were back in the dock, and convicted, within 12 months.
The overall rate has improved slightly, down 0.6 per cent from the previous year.
But the figures remain high, and come as the SNP refuses to end automatic early release, despite promising to do so in two previous manifestos.
Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont MSP said:
“These figures may have shown a very modest improvement, but the fact remains that Scotland’s prisons are a revolving door of reoffending.
“Nearly half of those released from custody are reconvicted in a year, something that will make the public wonder if we are tough enough on justice in Scotland.
“If the SNP ended automatic early release, as it has twice promised to, as well as introducing work into jails, inmates would have more time to be rehabilitated instead of finding themselves back on the street too soon for both themselves and their victims.”
Notes to Editors
The following table shows the one-year reconviction frequency rates and one-year reconviction rates, by disposal:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/8367/14
It shows the one year reconviction rate for offenders discharged from prisons in 2009-10 is 45.7%
The following table shows the one-year reconviction frequency rates and one-year reconviction rates, by sentence length
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2012/09/8367/16
It shows the one year reconviction frequency rate for offenders discharged from prison after serving three months or less in prison in 2009-10 is 129.1 and for those serving 3-6 months is 111.4.
