Today the Scottish Government announced £4 million of funding for community sentences. As Scottish Labour’s Justice spokesperson I welcomed today’s announcement and called on the Government to bring forward plans to increase the presumption against short sentences.

My call comes ahead of the transmission of a BBC Scotland investigation to air tonight called Women Prisoners: Throw Away the Key?

You can read what I said below:

Scottish Labour’s Justice Spokesperson Claire Baker MSP said:

“Evidence shows that those who receive prison sentences of six months or less are reconvicted twice as often as those given community payback orders. This shows that the presumption against short prison sentences is working.

“As a result the Scottish Government should bring forward plans to increase the presumption against from the current three months and deliver a justice system that pursues sentences that deliver real rehabilitation.

“That is why Scottish Labour called for and welcomed the move to scrap the proposed female ‘super-prison’ and instead move towards smaller facilities with a better focus on prevention.

“At the same time we have always been clear that this can only be one part of how we modernise prison and sentencing in Scotland. This includes more alternatives to custody and support for organisations that help deliver this.

“The Government’s announcement of extra support for community sentences goes some way to addressing this and must now be followed up by taking further action on short sentences.”