About 550 short-term prisoners in Scotland will be released early, beginning in late June, to ease prison overcrowding. The Scottish government is calling this move “unprecedented” and necessary for the safety and wellbeing of both staff and inmates. Prisoners eligible for release include those serving sentences of fewer than four years due for release within six months, rolled out in four stages to support resettlement.
Life sentences, sex offenders, and those with domestic abuse convictions are excluded. This move has been met with criticism from opposition parties, with some attributing it to the failure to modernize the prison estate. Victim support organizations will be informed about release dates upon request, acknowledging concerns victims may have. Other measures include electronically monitored bail and a future bill to end under-18 imprisonment.
