Sweeping changes proposed to ease chronic overcrowding in Scottish prisons (opens original article in a new tab)

New proposals in Scotland aim to ease prison overcrowding by reducing the time prisoners serve before release and expanding the presumption against short sentences.

• Prisoners serving less than five years could be released after 30% of their sentence under new proposals.
• The Scottish Government proposed expanding the presumption against short sentences from 12 to 24 months and redefining 'short-term sentences' as less than five years.
• Two new prisons are under construction but one was delayed due to construction issues.