SNP's Prison Release Rebranding Sparks Deception Claims
Proposals to rename the automatic early release of prisoners as 'supervised reintegration' in an effort to convince the public of its safety have been denounced as a 'deception' by political opponents. This move comes as experts on an SNP justice commission released findings last week advocating for the gradual elimination of shorter jail terms.
Rebranding Effort Aims to Address Public Concerns
Among the commission's recommendations is the replacement of the term 'automatic early release' with 'supervised reintegration'. The goal is to alleviate fears that offenders are being freed without adequate safeguards to prevent re-offending. The SNP previously abolished automatic early release, but only for inmates serving sentences exceeding four years. Now, the Scottish Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission is pushing to reverse this policy, suggesting that criminals should be released after completing two-thirds of their sentence.
Political Backlash and Public Safety Warnings
Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr strongly criticised the plan, stating, 'This is desperate stuff from the SNP, who must think Scots won’t notice their latest deception. They won’t fall for this cynical spin and know the SNP’s reckless plans to let out criminals earlier than planned will put public safety at risk.' He added, 'Rebranding automatic early release doesn’t change the reality that violent offenders will be free after serving only a fraction of their sentence. Instead of wasting time on tinkering with language, the SNP should finally back our calls to ditch their soft-touch approach and put victims at the heart of the justice system.'
Commission's Rationale for Terminology Change
In its report, the Sentencing Commission highlighted that the current terminology around release on licence is 'unhelpful'. It emphasised, 'Public understanding and confidence are important. If release were to be at two-thirds of a sentence, the commission considers this would enable a prisoner to transition into society via a phased, supervised reintegration.' The commission further noted, 'We consider the language must make clearer that, while a release process would be automatic, it would still be managed. An initial suggestion is this be described “supervised reintegration”; however, other terms should be considered.'
Expert and Government Responses
Commission member Hannah Graham, a criminologist, explained to the Mail, 'Automatic early release is a term that can be frustrating... [By changing the term] we would be emphasising there is accountability.' Justice Secretary Angela Constance responded, 'I welcome the Commission’s comprehensive report and will consider its detail. This includes views on how using different terminology and increased supervision when long-term prisoners are released could help improve the public’s understanding of how justice is being served and how sentencing works.' Ms Constance is expected to address the commission's recommendations in a statement at Holyrood today.
