Primary Colour:
Primary Text:
Secondary Colour:
Secondary Text:
Tertiary Colour:
Tertiary Text:
Colour Picker
Preview
FeaturesTypographyTutorials
Module Title
Home
Module Title

This block of text is used as an example for the colour chooser module on this web site. This paragraph is functionally unimportant, and can safely be ignored.

Module Title
Module Title
Instructions

Select a predefined style from the drop-down or choose your own colours via the handy colour-chooser. When you are satisfied with your selection, click the "Apply Colours" button below to store your selection in a cookie.

Apply Colours

Holyrood opinion poll

What system of local taxation would you prefer?
 
Home
Prisons Commission to back community sentences Print E-mail
Monday, 28 January 2008

The independent commission into the future of Scotland’s prisons will push to change public perceptions of community sentences as 'soft', commission chair Henry McLeish has said.

Speaking to Holyrood on the first day the commission took evidence, the former First Minister also indicated he supported the Government’s decision not to implement the Custodial Sentences and Weapons legislation passed by the last Parliament until the commission has reported.

Holyrood Labour leader Wendy Alexander has called on First Minister Alex Salmond to instruct Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to put the bill’s provisions, such as ending automatic early release, into action.

McLeish said: "We very much welcome the challenge the Government has set us and I think it shows the maturity of the Government in that they passed a new piece of legislation, the Custodial Sentences and Weapons Bill, but before implementing it, they are concerned about the implications of it, so they have asked us to have a look at it."

On community sentences, McLeish indicated support for the measure: "We are looking at community options. We have developed them fairly radically in Scotland and there is an issue with the public and the press that these are viewed as often 'weak' and not about punishment and often are seen as soft.

"In reality, they are not. This is a very powerful public perception that the commission has to respect, but then go in for and see if we can get the mindset to change. But if the mindset is to change, we have to ensure that community sentences are tough, and in fact, tougher than a prison sentence. We have to make sure they are effective and work, we have to make sure the breaching of various orders we have is kept to a minimum."
No one has commented on this article.
The author or administrator has closed this item for comments.

Rory Cahill
About the author:
Reporter
Read More >>



Related news items:
Last Updated ( Monday, 28 January 2008 )
 
[ Back ]

Featured sites

Site news...


Have your say: We have introduced a comments system in our news and magazine article sections, submit your comments for approval. Your comments  will feature in the "Your comments" section.
 
Visitors: 4886451