Common Sense on Justice: We must end automatic early release

Scottish Conservatives will fight to end automatic early release from prison in the next parliament.

Speaking from Edinburgh Pentlands today where she joined local candidate David McLetchie, Annabel Goldie, Scottish Conservative Leader, said:

"Sentences are already cut by up to 50% irrespective of the criminal's conduct in jail. In many cases they are released after 25% of their sentence with a tag. As it stands, someone who now gets 12 months in jail could be strolling out in a matter of weeks.

"Although it was the last Conservative UK Government which introduced early release, they quickly realised the error of this system, and so left a repeal of early release on the statute books in 1997. This was ignored by the incoming UK Labour Government.

"On numerous occasions over the past 14 years, Scottish Conservatives have repeatedly tabled motions and moved amendments to scrap the discredited scheme. On each occasion we have been blocked by Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP.

"We know that 95% of Scots want automatic early release scrapped, we want it scrapped, yet the other parties have continually voted in favour of keeping it.

"It is common sense that the sentence handed down should be the sentence served. We will keep up the fight in the next parliament to end this discredited system – the sooner, the better."

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1) Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2009-10 (Jan 2011)

Of the 15,712 persons who received a custodial sentence in 2009/10:

15,181 persons were sentenced to a short term sentence and will be released ½ way through their sentence.

484 persons were sentenced to a long term sentence and will be released at least 2/3 way through their sentence if not ½ way.

698 persons sentenced to prison for serious assault and attempted murder in 2009/10 WILL be released ½ way through their sentence

128 persons sentenced to prison for serious assault and attempted murder in 2009/10 COULD be released ½ way through their sentence.

13 persons sentenced to prison for homicide in 2009/10 WILL be released ½ way through their sentence

43 persons sentenced to prison for homicide in 2009/10 COULD be released ½ way through their sentence

9 persons sentenced to prison for rape and attempted rape in 2009/10 WILL be released ½ way through their sentence

40 persons sentenced to prison for rape and attempted rape in 2009/10 COULD be released ½ way through their sentence

915 persons sentenced to prison for handling an offensive weapon in 2009/10 WILL be released ½ way through their sentence.

1 person sentenced to prison for handling an offensive weapon in 2009/10 COULD be released ½ way through their sentence

This does not take account of those who will be released even earlier from prison under home detention curfew.

Prison Statistics Scotland: 2009-10 (Dec 2010)

Of the average daily population of sentenced offenders for 2009/10 (6441 criminals):

3,418 will be released ½ way through their sentence

1,629 could be released ½ way through their sentence

2) A YouGov poll commissioned by the Scottish Conservatives asked the following question:

Currently offenders sentenced to a term of less than 4 years are automatically released after serving half of their sentence. Prisoners serving longer sentences are released at either the half way point in their sentence or after two thirds of their sentence.

Do you think:

Prisoners should be automatically released part of the way through their sentence as at present: 2

Prisoners should only be released part of the way through their sentence on the basis of good behaviour: 33

Prisoners should not be released part of the way through their sentence at all: 62

Don't know: 3

The total therefore against automatic release is 95% of respondents.

Sample Size: 1183 Scottish Adults

Fieldwork carried out in August 2009

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