An early release program in Scotland freed prisoners to reduce crowding. Some convicts, like one in Edinburgh, are now out.
Convicts exited HMP Edinburgh, and Scotland released up to 390 prisoners early. One prisoner, like Ian Gard who left Saughton jail early, planned to improve his life.
Gard served time for assault and robbery, scheduled for release in three weeks. New laws allowed the early release. Inmates serving under four years became eligible, allowing them to leave after serving 40% of their sentence instead of the previous 50%.
Prisoners convicted of domestic abuse and sexual offenders do not qualify for early release.
Scotland’s prisons hold around 8,300 inmates, while the target capacity is about 8,007. Early releases should help lower the prison population by 5%.
Justice Secretary Constance says released prisoners had sentences for various crimes, some of which were violent. However, the releases are viewed as a necessity for making prisons safer and potentially improving rehabilitation.
Constance said violent crimes were significant among short sentences. She emphasized the need to lower the prison population to ensure prisons can accommodate high-risk offenders and support efforts to stop repeat offenses. Furthermore, Constance highlights the link between prison work and community safety.
Last summer, 477 convicts got released early under a similar program aimed at easing overcrowding. Later, authorities returned 61 of these released prisoners to custody.
Michael Stoney, who runs HMP Barlinnie, said the releases assisted the Glasgow prison by relieving a critical peak crowding situation. Barlinnie houses more prisoners than other facilities and experiences more overcrowding, and the program helped even though it was brief.