Justice Secretary announces £4m funding to increase use of community payback orders

By The Press Association15th June 2016News ScotlandCourts / Justice, News Scotland, Offenders, Prisons / Offenders

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has announced £4 million of extra funding to increase the use of community sentences.

The money will go towards community justice authorities and voluntary groups as part of a drive to move away from short-term prison sentences and reduce reoffending.

More than 1.8 million hours of unpaid work were imposed in 2014/15 as part of community payback orders (CPOs).

Mr Matheson announced the funding on a visit to Clydesmill fire station community garden in Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire, which is being constructed by people carrying out unpaid work.

He said: “Community sentences are a vital part of our bold approach to reduce the number of people in Scottish prisons.

“We have one of the highest imprisonment rates of any country in western Europe and one of my main priorities in this next Parliament is to make more effective use of community alternatives rather than short prison sentences.

“Ensuring that robust community sentences, like community payback orders, are available is critical to that, which is why we’ve invested this additional £4 million.

“CPOs are much more effective at reducing reoffending than short-term prison sentences and offer people the chance to pay back to their communities and make a real difference in their local areas.”

The Scottish Government has recently consulted on extending the current presumption against jail terms of three months or less to up to a year and opposition parties called on ministers to bring forward plans.

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Liam McArthur said: “Community sentences require people to give back to the communities they have harmed while developing new skills, meaning they are less likely to reoffend.

“A new presumption against prison sentences of less than 12 months would go hand in hand with more money for alternative disposals to prison, giving sheriffs full confidence in these options and helping end the reliance on ineffective short-term stints behind bars.”

Scottish Labour’s justice spokeswoman Claire Baker 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.

“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.”