By Adam Morris
A surge in reoffending and suspects committing crime on bail has been blamed on Scotland’s jails crisis and the subsequent emergency release schemes.
Police bosses have voiced concern about the impact of increased reoffending, which places additional strain on officers and threatens community safety.
Reoffending rates in the five main crime groups all rose in the first few months of this year, following a controversial Scottish Government policy to release hundreds of criminals early.
In addition, bail offences have soared, with police citing several contributing factors, including “efforts by the courts to remand fewer people in custody”.
The Scottish Government challenged the Police Scotland figures, claiming the overall number of repeat offenders has dropped by 11.4 per cent, while the number of new offenders was down 9.7 per cent.
It added that reoffending includes criminals who weren’t previously incarcerated, and only 12 per cent of those released early were returned to prison shortly afterwards. But frontline officers and opposition politicians criticised the policy and its impact on crime.
“It all comes back to there not being serious enough consequences for committing crime, and the offenders know it,” said David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation.
“Releasing dangerous criminals early poses new risks for victims and places more pressure on already overworked, under-resourced officers.
“We see on the front line that the risk is particularly significant when it comes to protecting women and girls against violence.
“More people on bail are now committing crime, and that’s another result of insufficient deterrence and monitoring capacity.”
“Releasing dangerous criminals early poses new risks for victims and places more pressure on already overworked, under-resourced officers”
David Kennedy, Scottish Police Federation
Scotland’s jail population has consistently topped 8,000, which is considered by ministers to be an unacceptable threshold.
To address the issue, the Scottish Government conducted a gradual early release programme between November last year and April, freeing 614 inmates over seven tranches.
In the months that followed, reoffending rates rose on every key measure.
From April to June, reoffending increased by nearly four per cent in crimes of dishonesty, and three per cent in sexual crimes.
In specific crime groups, new data has shown the reoffending rate within shoplifting rose to 62.6 per cent, and in housebreaking to 51.9 per cent.
Crime groupings including non-sexual crimes of violence, damage and reckless behaviour, and crimes against society all experienced hikes in repeat offenders.
“John Swinney’s dangerous early release schemes are a disgraceful gamble with public safety,” said Stephen Kerr, the Scottish Conservatives’ justice spokesperson.
“Scotland’s communities are paying the price for the SNP’s failures.
“Instead of getting a grip on our prison crisis, this weak and incompetent government is throwing open the prison gates and leaving the police to pick up the pieces.”
In his recent report to the Scottish Police Authority’s Policing Performance Committee, Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs warned of “continued high levels of demand in increasing reoffending rates… in particular crimes of dishonesty, shoplifting and sexual crimes.”
Later in the same document further worrying statistics were laid bare about bail offences.
Over the same April to June period, the number of people committing an offence while on bail for another went up by 26 per cent, with more than 4,100 incidents.
Bosses highlighted three areas “which may have a bearing on the increase of bail offences being recorded”.
“This weak and incompetent government is throwing open the prison gates and leaving the police to pick up the pieces”
Stephen Kerr MSP
They said more offenders being released on bail “will naturally lead to greater numbers of people in the community who are subject to bail conditions”, and that a rise in those being electronically monitored would result in “subsequent breaches”.
“Efforts by the courts to remand fewer people in custody will lead to greater numbers in the community under court-imposed bail conditions,” they added.
The rise in offending “is replicated across all three regions and the majority of local policing divisions when comparing to the previous reporting year”, the report added.
Although the move to release prisoners early was met with widespread criticism, the Scottish Government did put in measures to ensure certain offenders would not be freed.
Only “short-term” inmates who were within 180 days of their original release date were let out, while those inside for sexual or domestic abuse offences were not considered.
Police Scotland said tough action would always be taken against anyone breaching bail conditions.
Chief Superintendent Rob Shepherd added: “Public safety is our priority. We will continue to prioritise the safety of victims, witnesses, and the wider community.
“If any individual who breaches bail presents a risk they will be kept in custody.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “The emergency early release scheme affected only a small proportion of prison releases, and applied to a limited number of short-term prisoners who were close to their scheduled release date, with safeguards to exclude prisoners serving sentences of four years or more, or for sexual, domestic abuse or harassment offences, and with governors having power to veto those whose release would have been an immediate risk to a specific person or group.”
On bail offences, they added: “Decisions on bail and remand in each case are for the independent courts, which have access to a range of monitoring and supervision options to support effective bail decisions and public protection.
“Our aim is to support a system that protects the public and ensures that the use of custody, including remand, is fair, necessary and justified.
“Evidence shows that community-based sentences and interventions – used when safe and proportionate – are more effective at reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences.”