Friday, January 27, 2006

[Scotland] Reforms for early release from prison / Scottish Executive, 23 Jan 2006

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/01/23103057
"An independent report on early release and the supervision of prisoners on their release has been published. The Sentencing Commission for Scotland's recommendations will make a significant contribution to the Executive's proposed reforms to the current system. Ministers will now consider the detailed implications of the recommendations and publish their proposals in the late Spring - ahead of the introduction of a Sentencing Bill later this year. The Commission's Chairman, the Rt Hon Lord Macfadyen, said the package of proposed reforms represented an opportunity to bring much-needed clarity and transparency in sentencing - but he warned that the proposals were not intended to increase the severity of sentencing and should not be regarded as a 'back door' opportunity to make Scotland a more penal society."