Prisoners (Control of Release) Bill - Stage 3 briefing
Prisoners (Control of Release) Bill - Stage 3 briefing
PRISONERS (CONTROL OF RELEASE) (SCOTLAND) BILL – STAGE 3
BRIEFING AND ANALYSIS
Provided by:
Dr Monica Barry, Principal Research Fellow, University of Strathclyde
Professor Lesley McAra, Chair of Penology, University of Edinburgh
Professor Fergus McNeill, Professor of Criminology and Social Work, University of Glasgow
Professor Cyrus Tata, Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of Strathclyde
Apex Scotland
Circle Scotland
Howard League Scotland
Positive Prison? Positive Futures
Scottish Association of Social Workers
Social Work Scotland
Women for Independence, Justice for Women Group
As the Prisoners (Control of Release) (Scotland) Bill approaches Stage 3, there are four issues that we wish to highlight:
1. Inadequate consultation and evidence gathering
Given that these amendments amount to ‘what may be the most radical change in custodial sentencing policy for twenty-two years’ , we are concerned that they were brought forward in draft legislation without any prior evidence-gathering process. Previous legislation in this area has been preceded by a proper process of consultation and evidence gathering. Unfortunately, the Bill - which has changed almost beyond recognition since Stage 1 - seems to us to have been created without careful thought and without being informed by the extensive national and international evidence on custodial and community sentencing policy.
Lack of scrutiny of the major amendments at Stage 2
The Bill as originally drafted sought to end automatic early release for prisoners serving sentences of over 10 years and sex offenders serving sentences of over four years. However, on 3 February 2015, prior to publication of the Justice Committee’s Stage 1 report, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice wrote to the Convener to say that the Scottish Government intended to table amendments at Stage 2 with the effect of extending the scope of the Bill so that the proposals would apply to all long-term prisoners. He also indicated that he would table an amendment to ensure all long-term prisoners were subjected to a period of compulsory supervision in the community. No further explanation or intentions were provided. Given the significant changes to the scope of the Bill, the Justice Committee’s Stage 1 report confirmed that the Committee “will seek sufficient time at Stage 2 to allow it to conduct the thorough scrutiny expected by witnesses and the general public”.
Unfortunately, no further detail (that is, updated policy and financial memoranda) on the proposed amendments was provided by the Scottish Government until 19 May 2015, meaning that witnesses had just one single day in which to consider the revised proposals and respond to the Justice Committee’s call for evidence ahead of Stage 2 of the Bill. Just two expert witnesses were recalled to give evidence, but this took place the day after the Stage 2 proceedings, meaning that their evidence was unable to inform discussions about the Government’s tabled amendments.
The Bill’s proposals are undermined by the evidence and knowledge of practice
The stated policy objectives of the Bill appear to be to improve public safety and reduce reoffending. However, the Scottish Government has not offered any evidence to support the assertion that the current system of early release currently fails to achieve either of those objectives.
On every occasion that this issue has been given careful consideration in the past, it has been concluded that the best way of minimising harm to the public is to ensure that all determinate sentenced prisoners (especially those denied release at the discretionary stage) are subject to a proportionate and proactive period of supervision and support in the community . This is to ensure that by assisting prisoner resettlement, risk of public harm and risk of reoffending are reduced as far as possible.
No evidence has been produced to refute the conclusions from these earlier in-depth inquiries; nor has there been any new evidence since those findings to show that things have changed in the interim.
Impact on the quality of compulsory supervision of long-term prisoners on release
However, there is evidence that Scottish practice (rather than law) needs to improve in pursuit of these objectives. Shortening the period of support and supervision and seeing its main function as merely technical compliance is likely to be counterproductive. For example, even where prisoners develop ‘narratives of transformation’ in prison, they can struggle to fulfil and realise their aspirations post-release, partly because of a lack of support and lack of acceptance in the community . Similarly, ongoing research suggests that ex-prisoners commonly perceive supervision on licence as counterproductive in terms of resettlement where it is felt to be merely a mechanistic monitoring exercise. Unfortunately, the proposals to reduce supervised release to just six months for all long-term prisoners are likely to make it appear even more mechanistic. Furthermore, the impact of the Bill’s proposal to greatly diminish the period of compulsory supervision and support on the practice of social work supervision should not be underestimated. The standards for initial contact and the frequency of contact thereafter are currently set to ensure ample time for a released prisoner to be assessed, enrolled for and to complete any significant programme of work on post-release supervision .
2. Six month supervision period is inadequate and likely to jeopardise public safety
Currently, long-term prisoners can apply for discretionary parole from the halfway point in their sentence. If they are not released on parole, they are released at the two-thirds point of their sentence (e.g. four years into a six year sentence) and remain under compulsory supervision in the community until the end of their sentence. Long-term prisoners are thus currently subject to (in many cases very demanding) conditions on release and can be recalled to custody at any point during this period.
The Bill as originally drafted made no provision for any compulsory supervision period for those who serve the entirety of their sentence in custody. In response to concerns raised by expert witnesses during Stage 1, the Scottish Government then proposed that all long term prisoners who have not received discretionary parole will be automatically released six months prior to the end of their sentence and be subjected to compulsory supervision in the community until the end of their sentence.
A fixed term of six months is arbitrary and not based on empirical evidence
Proponents of the Bill have not offered any empirical basis for this six-month supervision period. At Stage 2 it was suggested that six months was more or less a compromise between those who wanted three months and those who wanted supervision proportionate to the original sentence length. In reality, the suggestion of three months was only put forward when it appeared at Stage 1 that it was intended to have absolutely no period of mandatory support and supervision in the community. In other words it was seen as better than nothing, but not put forward as an improvement to what is currently done.
Reintegration of long-term prisoners, including those considered a high risk, takes time
Rehabilitation and reintegration take time, especially where someone has been incarcerated for many years. Since released prisoners need to be settled into a community (in terms of securing accommodation and benefits in particular) before supervisors can work with them on longer term issues (such as reducing reoffending and finding employment), we are concerned that six months will be an insufficient period in which to provide supervision in the community and make progress towards reintegration, not least when some released prisoners are placed in temporary hostel or bed and breakfast accommodation for periods often up to a year or more .
Proponents of the Bill have failed to explain how moving from a compulsory supervision period that is proportionate to the length of the original sentence to a blanket six-month period for all long-term prisoners, regardless of sentence length, better serves the interests of public safety. The evidence of a wide range of studies of desistance from crime , , highlights how challenging the process of desistance can be for people who have been involved in persistent and/or serious offending. It is commonly characterised by lapses and relapses that need to be carefully managed in order to sustain and secure positive change. This is skilled work that involves considerable investment of time in developing relationships that nurture motivation, build human capacities and develop social capital. Only where people leaving prison have considerable personal and social resources are they likely to manage that transition safely within a short period. Whilst it is true that the highest risk period is immediately after release, this does not mean that this is the only period when support is required.
In its submission to the Justice Committee on 20 May 2015, the Risk Management Authority stated:
“We want to advise of challenges associated with managing the release of long term prisoners within the proposed timescale of 6 months. Such risk management will necessarily focus on immediate resettlement issues, restrictions, monitoring and contingency measures: resettlement efforts that focus on accommodation, associates and activities will predominate as time constraints will preclude more thorough reintegration efforts to address matters such as building pro-social relationships and employment prospects, and the delivery of interventions; the risk profile associated with this group of prisoners would also indicate that restrictive measures will be applied and compliance closely monitored; agreed and well co-ordinated contingency actions will be required to ensure appropriate and timely response to deterioration in circumstances or failure to comply. As such, the risk management will be intensive but its impact may be limited by the brief period available for monitoring individuals’ circumstances and behaviour, and the preclusion of meaningful rehabilitative efforts.
“A period of 12 months statutory supervision would provide more opportunity for engagement in reintegration activities, and a more valuable period of monitoring.”
The proposed reforms reduce supervision and support to those considered the greatest risk
It should also be borne in mind that this six-month period will apply to those long-term prisoners who either have not been granted discretionary parole because they have been regarded as too great a risk to public safety, or have not sought parole and resisted engaging with rehabilitative services in prison. While the Scottish Prison Service has made great strides forward in making imprisonment a more humane and less degrading experience, it should be remembered that by its nature incarceration (no matter how humane the conditions) cannot prepare individuals for life outside in the way achieved by support and supervision in the community.
3. Increased potential for ECHR challenges
If the period of mandatory supervision in the community is to be reduced to just six months, then there is likely to be an increase in demand for programmes in prisons and places within the open estate whereby prisoners can demonstrate their reduced risk in order to improve their chances of securing discretionary parole.
Witnesses giving evidence during Stage 1 of the Bill raised concerns, however, that there is currently insufficient provision of such courses and open estate availability to meet demand. Where such services are not available (or are insufficient to meet the demand), continued detention may become arbitrary and in breach of Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Whilst the current case law in this area (Wells v. Secretary of State for Justice (2010) 1 AC 553; James v. United Kingdom (2013) 56 EHRR 12) relates to those serving indeterminate sentences, it is likely that those serving determinate sentences who consider that they are subject to arbitrary detention without preparation for release will seek to make Article 5 challenges.
4. Financial implications of the Bill
The financial implications of the Bill are considerable. The Scottish Government has estimated that the annual additional cost of changing the current system of automatic early release for all long-term prisoners will rise from £4.6m in 2019/20 to £16.7m in 2030/31.
When questioned at Stage 2 on how these increased costs would be met, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice indicated that these costs would be met by savings made by “other changes that are to be introduced in the system, such as a presumption against short sentences, greater use of alternatives to custody, changes in sentencing practice…and alternatives to the traditional custodial estate”.
In an era of financial restriction, we are concerned that the enormous cost implications of these proposals will be based on uncalculated and unreliable assumptions that savings can and will be made elsewhere.
By contrast, the projected annual cost of these proposals in 2030/31 represents just over half of the Scottish Government’s current budget for community justice (£31.8m in 2015/16). Rather than investing that money in prison capacity, we would suggest that it should be spent on improving the quality and effectiveness of post-release supervision and support.
CONCLUSION
We can only draw the conclusion that this Bill does not achieve its originally stated aims. It will not end automatic early release , it will not reduce reoffending and it will not improve public safety in the longer term; indeed it is likely to jeopardise both public safety and reintegration.
Furthermore, the Bill misses the opportunity to better clarify sentencing and release policy. It may well be possible to combine the virtues of public safety with clarity in sentencing , but unfortunately this Bill appears to achieve neither.
22 June 2015
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
SPICE briefing on Prisoners (Control of Release) (Scotland) Bill http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefingsAndFactsheets/S4/SB_1...
Justice Committee’s Stage 1 report on Prisoners (Control of Release) (Scotland) Bill http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Reports/jur-15-08w...
Written submission from Drs Monica Barry and Beth Weaver, University of Strathclyde, Stage 1
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/AER10._D...
Written submission from the Howard League for Penal Reform in Scotland, Stage 1
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/AER7._Ho...
Written submission from Professor Fergus McNeill, University of Glasgow, Stage 1
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/AER9._Pr...
Written submission from Positive Prison? Positive Futures, Stage 1 http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/AER6._Po...
Written submission from Professor Dr Cyrus Tata, University of Strathclyde, Stage 1
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/AER11._D...
Written submission from Dr Monica Barry, University of Strathclyde and Professor Fergus McNeill, University of Glasgow, Stage 2
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/P14._Dr_...
Written submission from the Howard League Scotland, Stage 2
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/P15._How...
Written submission from Professor Fergus McNeill, University of Glasgow, Stage 2
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/P13._Pro...
Written submission from Positive Prison? Positive Futures, Stage 2
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/P17._Pos...
Written submission from Social Work Scotland, Stage 2
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/P12._Soc...
Supplementary written submission from Social Work Scotland, Stage 2
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/P12a._So...
Written submission from Professor Cyrus Tata, Strathclyde University, Stage 2
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/P19._Pro...
Supplementary written submission from Professor Fergus McNeill, Dr Monica Barry and Professor Cyrus Tata
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_JusticeCommittee/Inquiries/Tata-McN...
Sections
Archive
2023
-
HMIPS Thematic Review of Segregation in Scottish Prisons
18th September 2023
-
HMP Greenock Full Inspection Report
18th September 2023
-
Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill
18th September 2023
-
Recorded Crime in Scotland 2022-2023
18th September 2023
-
Prison Mobile Phone Phase Out
18th September 2023
-
Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill
18th September 2023
-
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Corporate Plan (2023-26) & Business Plan (2023-24)
18th September 2023
-
Prisoner Voting
18th September 2023
-
HMP Addiewell Full Inspection
18th September 2023
-
Journey Times in Scotland's Criminal Justice System Report
18th September 2023
-
Joint Review of Diversion From Prosecution
18th September 2023
-
'Still Nothing to See Here' Follow Up Report
18th September 2023
-
Scottish Parliament Pre-Budget Scrutiny
18th September 2023
-
HMIPS Annual Report 2021-2022
18th September 2023
-
HMIPS Strategic Plan 2022-2025
18th September 2023
-
HMP Shotts: Full Prison Inspection
18th September 2023
-
Court Backlog Modelling
18th September 2023
-
Scottish Prison Population Health Needs Report
18th September 2023
-
The New Women's Prison Estate in Scotland
18th September 2023
-
Recorded Crime in Scotland 2021-2022
18th September 2023
-
Scottish Sentencing Council Reports
18th September 2023
-
Mental Health Support in Scotland's Prisons 2021: Under-Served and Under-Resourced
18th September 2023
2022
-
Judged on Progress: the Need for Urgent Delivery on Scottish Justice Sector Reforms
21st April 2022
-
Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 Implemented
21st April 2022
-
Independent Review of the Response to Deaths in Prison Custody
21st April 2022
-
Scottish Sentencing Council: Guideline on the Sentencing of Young People
21st April 2022
-
HMIPS Annual Report 2020-2021
21st April 2022
-
HMIPS Health and Well-Being Pre-Inspection Survey
21st April 2022
-
Scottish Sentencing Council Report: Judicial Perspectives on Community-Based Disposals
21st April 2022
-
Reconviction Statistics: 2019-19 Offender Cohort
21st April 2022
-
Recorded Crime in Scotland 2020-2021
21st April 2022
-
HMIPS Liaison Visit to HMP Greenock
21st April 2022
-
HMIPS Liaison Visit to HMP Castle Huntly
21st April 2022
-
Audit Scotland: Community Justice Sustainable Alternatives to Custody
21st April 2022
-
Mental Welfare Commission Report: Women and Mental Ill-Health
21st April 2022
-
Membership of the new Scottish Parliament Criminal Justice Committee Announced
21st April 2022
2021
-
The Scandal of Remand in Scotland: A Report by Howard League Scotland – May 2021
21st May 2021
-
An Urgent Plea from Howard League Scotland Committee
21st April 2021
-
Expert Review of Mental Health Support For Young People Entering And In Custody At HMP&YOI Polmont - Final Progress Update
15th April 2021
-
Extended Presumption Against Short Sentences Monitoring Information: January – December 2020
15th April 2021
-
Scottish Crime & Justice Survey 2019-20
15th April 2021
-
Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics: 2019 -20
15th April 2021
-
HMIPS Liaison Visit to HMP/YOI Grampian
15th April 2021
-
Review of Forensic Mental Health Services in Scotland Final Report
15th April 2021
-
The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Coronavirus) (Scotland) Rules
15th April 2021
-
Covid19 Court Restrictions Extended
15th April 2021
-
The Community Orders (Coronavirus)(Scotland) Regulations 2021
15th April 2021
-
The Restorative Justice (Prescribed Persons) (Scotland) Order 2021
15th April 2021
-
Allan Marshall FAI Recommendations
15th April 2021
-
The Parole Board (Scotland) Amendment Rules 2021
15th April 2021
-
Effects of New Covid19 Variant
15th April 2021
-
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) Criminal Case Throughput Data
15th April 2021
-
Council of Europe's European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Report
15th April 2021
-
Reconviction Rates in Scotland: 2017-18 Offender Cohort
15th April 2021
-
Justice Committee Evidence Session - Covid19 Effects on Criminal Justice System
15th April 2021
-
HMIPS Liaison Visit to HMP Kilmarnock
15th April 2021
-
Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act - Electronic Monitoring
15th April 2021
-
Outstanding Unpaid Work (Community Payback Orders)
14th April 2021
-
HMP Dumfries Full Inspection
14th April 2021
-
New European Prison Rules
14th April 2021
-
Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2019 - 2020
14th April 2021
-
HMIPS First Liaison Visit to HMP Addiewell
14th April 2021
-
HMIPS First Liaison Visit to HMP Edinburgh
14th April 2021
-
Disclosure (Scotland) Act
14th April 2021
2020
-
HMIPS: Remote Monitoring and Liaison Visits
16th November 2020
-
Virtual Visits and Mobile Phones in Scottish Prisons
16th November 2020
-
SPS Covid19 Route Map
16th November 2020
-
Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2018-19
16th November 2020
-
HMIPS Inspection of HMP Edinburgh
16th November 2020
-
Jackie Tombs – A Note of Appreciation
20th August 2020
-
Three Keys to Unlocking the Problem of Prisons in a Pandemic
25th June 2020
-
‘Prisoner householding’: the latest threat from Covid-19
29th April 2020
-
COVID-19 in Scottish Prisons: Update #1
30th March 2020
-
COVID-19 in Scottish Prisons
30th March 2020
-
Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representations) Bill Passed
30th March 2020
-
Disclosure (Scotland) Bill Report
23rd March 2020
-
Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act
23rd March 2020
-
Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representations) Bill Report
23rd March 2020
-
Independent Review of the Handling of Deaths in Custody
23rd March 2020
-
Evidence to Education and Skills Committee: Disclosure (Scotland) Bill
23rd March 2020
-
HMP Glenochil Full Inspection
23rd March 2020
-
Council of Europe's European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
23rd March 2020
-
Pre-Budget Scrutiny
11th February 2020
-
Throughcare Service Provision Announcement
11th February 2020
-
Recorded Crime in Scotland: 2018-2019
11th February 2020
-
Evidence to Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee: Prisoner Voting
11th February 2020
-
Audit Scotland audit of SPS
11th February 2020
-
Scottish Government - Programme for Government 2019/20
11th February 2020
2019
-
HMIPS Annual Report 2018-19
5th November 2019
-
Fatal Accident Inquiry - Allan Marshall (HMP Edinburgh)
5th November 2019
-
Franchise Extended to Prisoners to Vote in the Shetland By-Election
5th November 2019
-
Suspension of SPS Throughcare Support Service
25th July 2019
-
Management of Offenders (Scotland) Bill
1st July 2019
-
Presumption Against Short Sentences (PASS)
28th June 2019
-
UN Committee Against Torture - Key Concerns
11th March 2019
-
New Strapline Brief
28th January 2019
2018
-
Call for Submissions: 40th Anniversary Conference 'Reimagining the Future'
20th December 2018
-
First HLS Student Society Launches
28th September 2018
-
Critical Issues in Scottish Penal Policy: Prison Reductionism
21st September 2018
-
Critical Issues in Scottish Penal Policy: Disclosure of Convictions
20th September 2018
-
Critical Issues in Scottish Penal Policy: Prisoner Voting Rights
19th September 2018
-
Critical Issues in Scottish Penal Policy: Inequality & Imprisonment
18th September 2018
-
Critical Issues in Scottish Penal Policy: Prison Officers
17th September 2018
-
Remand: A life or death crisis in Scotland
8th August 2018
-
Phones in Prisons: Reconnect or Rehabilitate?
11th July 2018
-
Raising the bar of youth justice: the minimum age of criminal responsibility
9th July 2018
-
Justice Committee Remand Report
25th June 2018
-
HLS Gives Evidence to Parliament
17th May 2018
-
HLS Management of Offenders Submission
17th May 2018
-
Press Release: HLS Statement on Equality and Human Rights Committee
14th May 2018
-
Committee Recommends ban on prisoner voting should be removed in its entirety
14th May 2018
-
Call for Trustees
9th May 2018
-
Achieving Social Justice in 2018: Prisoner Voting Rights
19th April 2018
-
Scottish Prisons in Comparative Perspective
20th March 2018
-
HLS Welcomes Increase in Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility
14th March 2018
-
Scotland Must Reform Life Sentences
12th March 2018
-
International Women's Day
8th March 2018
-
Crime falls, but the prison remains
28th February 2018
-
Proposed Advances in Electronic Monitoring
28th February 2018
-
Vision for Scottish Penal Reform in 2018
21st February 2018
-
Spent Convictions Legislation
14th February 2018
-
How long until my conviction is spent?
14th February 2018
2017
-
Evidence on prisoner voting rights for Equalities and Human Rights Committee
7th September 2017
-
Howard League Scotland response to Scottish Government's 2017/18 Programme for Government
6th September 2017
-
Reviewing progress on female imprisonment in Scotland
26th June 2017
-
HOWARD LEAGUE SCOTLAND RESPONSE TO DRAFT SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM BILL (2016)
13th March 2017
2016
-
Scottish prisons design capacity and average daily populations (2015/16)
20th September 2016
-
HLS response on minimum age of criminal responsibility
23rd June 2016
-
2016 HOLYROOD ELECTIONS: REVIEW OF PARTY MANIFESTOS
29th April 2016
-
Statement on presumption against short periods of imprisonment
9th February 2016
2015
-
Response from Howard League Scotland to consultation on proposals to strengthen the presumption against short periods of imprisonment
23rd December 2015
-
Briefing on Community Justice (Scotland) Bill
19th November 2015
-
Howard League Scotland website problems
20th October 2015
-
Reform of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
7th September 2015
-
Guest blog: Restructuring Community Justice in Scotland
1st September 2015
-
Response to Scottish Government announcement on women offenders
22nd June 2015
-
Prisoners (Control of Release) Bill - Stage 3 briefing
21st June 2015
-
Women's Penal Policy Campaign Still Needs Champions
18th April 2015
-
Latest Crime and Punishment Statistics Scotland
23rd March 2015
-
Perspectives from inside Barlinnie
23rd March 2015
-
Prisoner Voting
23rd March 2015
-
Experiencing Long-term Imprisonment in Scotland
23rd March 2015
-
Standards for Inspecting and Monitoring Prisons in Scotland
23rd March 2015
-
Automatic Early Release
27th February 2015
-
Prisoners (Control of Release) (Scotland) Bill Feb 2015
24th February 2015
-
Blueprint for Reform
19th February 2015
-
Automatic Early Release
4th February 2015
-
Inverclyde in the news
26th January 2015
-
Howard League Scotland welcomes bold decision on Inverclyde
26th January 2015
-
HLS in the news: automatic early release
19th January 2015
-
Ban on automatic early release
13th January 2015
-
Grampian Prison Radio Station
13th January 2015
-
January 2015 Scottish Prison Population
12th January 2015
-
Pat Carlen on Women in Prison - an indictment of society
7th January 2015
-
Death, Addiction and Decay - Health matters in Scottish prisons
5th January 2015
2014
-
Inverclyde - a new year's resolution?
18th December 2014
-
Can Prison Work?
1st December 2014
-
New Cabinet Secretary for Justice
21st November 2014
-
Ageing Prison Population
19th November 2014
-
People in prison: a snapshot
5th November 2014
-
Possible Smoking Ban in Scottish Prisons
3rd November 2014
-
Scottish Government’s Draft Budget 2015-16
3rd November 2014
-
Scottish Imprisonment - Recent trends and Costs
31st October 2014
-
HLS Convenor, John Scott QC, Annual SACRO Lecture
30th October 2014
-
Prison Visiting Committee Reform
30th October 2014
-
Lord Carloway Drummond Hunter Lecture - full paper
27th October 2014
-
Scottish Government’s Draft Budget 2014/15
11th October 2014
-
Scottish Government: What Works to Reduce Crime?
10th October 2014
-
Prison Population
8th October 2014
-
Rehabilitation and Resettlement
8th October 2014
-
Getting it Right For Every Child
6th October 2014
-
Youth Justice Under the Radar
6th October 2014
-
Extended Family Visits
6th October 2014
-
Is prison the only future for women's penal policy?
1st October 2014
-
Baroness Corston: Inverclyde prison 'will fail'
1st October 2014
-
Scottish Imprisonment September 2014
26th September 2014
-
Greenock Inspection
26th September 2014
-
Howard League Scotland calls for voting rights for prisoners
23rd September 2014
-
VOTERS ASKED TO REMEMBER THOSE WITH NO VOICE
18th September 2014
-
Prison Population - September 2014
9th September 2014
-
Prison Population - September 2014
9th September 2014
-
Past, Present & Future - Women's Penal Policy
20th August 2014
-
HMP Grampian - Incapacitant Spray Used
13th August 2014
-
A Shine Mentor on Women Offenders: From Where I Stand...
11th August 2014
-
SPS Annual Report 2013-2014
16th July 2014
-
Prison Population - July 2014
11th July 2014
-
Scottish Prisoner Voting Arrangements
3rd July 2014
-
Breaking the Cycle of Building Bigger Prisons
1st July 2014
-
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Report 2013-2014 Published
25th June 2014
-
The problem with prison population predictions
12th June 2014
-
SPS Prisoner Surveys 2011-2013
10th June 2014
-
SPS Custodial History and Substance Misuse 2014
6th June 2014
-
Scottish Prison Population May 2014
4th June 2014
-
Criminal Justice Social Work Annual Report 2012-13
29th May 2014
-
SCCJR Report on Training for SPS Staff
26th May 2014
-
Prison Transformation in Dominican Republic
24th May 2014
-
WHO Report on Prison Health Care
24th May 2014
-
Problems Implementing Human Rights in Prison Practice
20th May 2014
-
Automatic Early Release May 2014
16th May 2014
-
Prison and Desistance - (Re)turning point?
15th May 2014
-
PQ re pregnant women in HMP Inverclyde
14th May 2014
-
PQ on healthcare services for HMP Inverclyde
14th May 2014
-
PQ on transport links to Inverclyde
14th May 2014
-
PQ on Inverclyde - which experts consulted in design phase?
14th May 2014
-
PQ on Inverclyde - different security levels?
14th May 2014
-
Children are 'Innocent Victims' of imprisonment
14th May 2014
-
PQ on Inverclyde Family Visiting Facilities
14th May 2014
-
Proposal to end automatic early release
12th May 2014
-
Prison Population - May 2014
11th May 2014
-
Startling Differences in Regional Imprisonment Rates
2nd May 2014
-
Moral Panic or Moral Crusade?
1st May 2014
-
Moral Panic or Moral Crusade?
1st May 2014
-
Criminal Justice Social Work Annual Report 2012-13
1st May 2014
-
Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill - Women's Penal Policy
24th April 2014
-
218 Service - Case Studies
18th April 2014
-
218 Project - Women's Penal Policy
18th April 2014
-
Anne Pinkman, SWGWO - Women's Penal Policy
17th April 2014
-
Karyn McCluskey,Violence Reduction - Women's Penal Policy
17th April 2014
-
Maura Daly, Circle - Women's Penal Policy
16th April 2014
-
Sarah Roberts, Families Outside - Women's Penal Policy
16th April 2014
-
Tam Bailie, Commissioner for Children and Young People
15th April 2014
-
CJA Chief Officers - Women's Penal Policy
15th April 2014
-
Thinking about women's penal policy
14th April 2014
-
Thinking about women's penal policy
14th April 2014
-
Thinking about women's penal policy
14th April 2014
-
Thinking about women's penal policy
14th April 2014
-
Howard League Scotland in the News
14th April 2014
-
Dr Margaret Malloch - Women's Penal Policy
14th April 2014
-
Tom Halpin, Sacro - Women's Penal Policy
14th April 2014
-
What's right for women offenders?
13th April 2014
-
CPT Recommendations Scotland - March 2014
27th March 2014
-
Scotland's Prison Population 1998-2013
5th March 2014
-
Scottish Sentences
13th February 2014
-
HLS Event in the News
13th February 2014
-
Scottish Prisons in the News
7th February 2014
-
Recruiting ex-offenders - James Timpson Lecture
3rd February 2014
-
Prison Visiting Committee Reform
30th January 2014
-
Scottish Prison Population 3rd January 2014
21st January 2014
-
Prison Policy in the News
18th January 2014
2013
-
Women Offenders
23rd December 2013
-
Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill
23rd December 2013
-
Prisoner voting and the independence referendum
23rd December 2013
-
Independent monitoring of prisons
23rd December 2013
-
Appointment of Howard League Scotland’s first President
23rd December 2013
-
Female Imprisonment in Scotland - Survey 2013
12th December 2013
-
Scottish Crime and Convictions Figures 2012-2013
26th November 2013
-
Justice Budget 2014/15
11th October 2013
-
Howard League Scotland Calls On MSPs To Let Short Term Prisoners Vote In The Independence Referendum
12th September 2013
-
SPS Annual Report 2012-13
1st July 2013
-
Prisoner Voting
21st March 2013
2012
-
Angiolini Commission on Women Offenders
1st May 2012
2011
-
Scottish Survey - Female Offenders (2011)
1st December 2011
-
SCCJR: Female Imprisonment in Scotland
31st October 2011
-
Cornton Vale Inspector of Prisons Report 2011
11th June 2011
2009
-
SCCJR Report on Developing Sentencing & Penal Policy
9th August 2009
2006
-
Women in Prison in Scotland, SCCCJ Report
3rd November 2006