Majority of Scots oppose early release of prisoners, poll finds

A new poll has revealed that most Scots oppose the early release of prisoners to deal with overcrowding.

The Scottish Government has consistently insisted that the prison population is “too high” and introduced emergency legislation last year to make room for the criminals who they say pose the greatest risk.

The policy allows eligible inmates sentenced to less than four years to be released after serving 40% of their term.

Those convicted of domestic abuse or sexual offences will not be eligible for early release under the changes.

The first of up to 390 prisoners were freed in mid-February, and the rest were released in two tranches throughout March.

Last summer, 477 inmates were announced to be released early, and similar measures were also introduced in England and Wales.

Overall, it’s expected to bring about a 5% reduction in the sentenced prison population.

However, a new poll by Survation for 1919 Magazine has shown that the policy is not popular with Scots.

It found that 50% of Scots oppose the policy – including nearly 30% of respondents who said they are ‘strongly’ opposed.

Only 28% of people surveyed said they were in favour of the policy.

Only 8% said they ‘strongly’ support the early release of prisoners from jail, with 20% ‘somewhat’ in favour.

A new poll by Survation for 1919 Magazine found that 50% of Scots oppose the government's early prison release scheme. — A new poll by Survation for 1919 Magazine found that 50% of Scots oppose the government’s early prison release scheme. 1919 Magazine press release

“It is clear the public are growing increasingly sick and tired of the SNP’s soft-touch justice approach,” Scottish Conservative justice spokesperson Liam Kerr said.

“Many of them back the common-sense view that prisoners should serve their sentences in full rather than being recklessly let out early on the SNP’s watch.”

Scottish Lib Dem justice spokesperson Liam McArthur added: “It is no great surprise that the early release of prisoners is so unpopular with the public. The policy itself is the reflection of failure.”

“Early release can only ever be a temporary solution, which is why the government needs to take the steps necessary to prevent the same happening further down the line,” McArthur said.

“That means getting serious about clearing court backlogs so that fewer people are stuck in prison waiting on a trial and investing in tough community sentences which can provide a credible alternative to imprisonment.”

As of March 21, there were 8,149 people in custody in Scotland – down from 8,350 at the end of February, but a 172 strong increase from in March 2024.

Last month, a Freedom of Information request by the Conservatives also revealed that only ten victims were notified in recent weeks under the Victim Notification Scheme (VNS) or Victim Information Scheme (VIS).

The government has said it continues to work with support organisations to raise awareness of early release and victims’ right to notification.

Responding to these claims, a spokesperson for the Scottish Prison Service said it has been managing “an extremely high and complex population for more than a year”.

“That continues to place significant pressure on our staff and the time available to them to do the important work in supporting people, building relationships, turning lives around, reducing the risk of reoffending, and creating a safer Scotland for all,” the spokesperson continued.

“We have delivered a programme of early release in a way which prioritises the safety and wellbeing of those in our care, victims, and the communities we serve.”

The spokesperson added: “This has provided welcome respite but, as has been widely acknowledged, will not solve our population challenges on its own.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have experienced a significant rise in our prison population in recent times, which is why we have taken a number of actions to tackle the issue.

“Without intervention, there is a risk that prisons will no longer be safe places for the dedicated staff to carry out the important work of rehabilitation to reduce reoffending.”

The government spokesperson explained that the Prisoners Early Release (Scotland) Act has changed the automatic release point for most short-term prisoners from 50% to 40% of their sentence.

“The measures in this Act will bring about a sustained reduction in the prison population as well as relieve some of the acute pressure currently being experienced within our prison estate,” the spokesperson added.

“We need the prison system to focus on those who pose the greatest risk to the public and provide a range of support to help reduce reoffending and aid integration back into the community. This legislation is backed by both the Prison Officers’ Association and the Prison Governors Association.”