McArthur responds to overcrowding in prisons

Responding to the Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics, which indicate that Scotland has a “very high” number of people incarcerated compared to other European countries and one of the highest rates of suicide among prisoners, Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said:  

“On the SNP’s watch, prisons are bursting at the seams, rates of self-harm have spiralled and the years it takes to investigate deaths puts others at risk.

“Overcrowding threatens staff safety and makes it harder to successfully rehabilitate people.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats want a properly-funded justice system that can deliver robust and credible community sentences where appropriate. It’s crucial we strike a balance between punishing, rehabilitating and supporting; that is how we will reduce reoffending and make communities safer”