Hansard

I am pleased to take part in the debate as a member of the Justice Committee.

The ending of automatic early release for prisoners is seen by a large cross-section of the public as a very important issue to which they can relate with regard to their own safety in the community in which they live.

I acknowledge that, following evidence to the Justice Committee, Michael Matheson MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, said that he would extend the provisions in the bill to cover all long-term prisoners, which is to his and the Scottish Government’s credit. He has shown leadership by listening to reasoned argument and responding accordingly. In my book, it is a good thing when Governments and ministers listen and perhaps come to a conclusion that is different from their former conclusion.

During my speech, I will aim to focus on the prisoners who commit serious sex offences and how the bill will impact on them and offer some comfort to their victims. As a former board member of Rape Crisis Central Scotland, I am sadly familiar with that aspect of crime through my work on behalf of the victims of sexual assault.

Many people in Scotland have never understood why serious sex offenders were automatically released early, before they had served their full sentence. The victims of those offences are petrified at the thought of the early release of the person who attacked them in what they understandably believe is the ultimate crime. They live in fear of one day being confronted by their attacker.

On what many of the public think about early release, a large number of those who have been victims disagree with the present system. Nonetheless, I fully support the Parole Board making the final decision on whether serious sex offenders should be released before completing their sentence. The Parole Board has the benefit of knowing how rehabilitation programmes have worked on the individual.

I particularly support the work carried out in Peterhead prison, which has introduced programmes designed to change the behaviour of serious sex offenders. The work carried out in that institution has had a tremendous record of success, and I wonder whether people tend not to reoffend as a result.

I acknowledge that prisoners volunteer for those programmes for a host of reasons. Some volunteer in order to influence the Parole Board. They want to show that they are putting some effort into changing their behaviour in the hope that they are rewarded by being granted early release. There are, however, many prisoners who volunteer because they sincerely believe that they need help, and that they need to change their behaviour, better themselves and ensure that they are never sent back to prison.

No matter the motivation, we can see the success of such a system in the fact that someone who is cold released or automatically released early is approximately seven times more likely to breach their licence conditions than someone who is released after a decision by the Parole Board.

To victims and to members of the public who are fearful of early release and the impact that it will have on them and their community, I offer this message. What is being proposed by the Scottish Government should give some comfort because the public and communities will know that tried, tested and effective rehabilitation courses will be available to offenders while they are serving their time in prison. Further, supervision in the community will also be in place, whether or not prisoners participate in rehabilitation within prison.

I would far rather that, after deliberating, considering detailed reports and assessing behaviour programmes, the Parole Board granted someone who may have, say, one year left of their sentence early release, knowing that they are unlikely to reoffend. I hope that that is some comfort to the public. That is where rehabilitation and the work of the Parole Board play such an important role. Roderick Campbell mentioned that.

Although I have focused primarily on those who have been imprisoned for serious sex offences, I would argue that the same balanced viewpoint will work across all crimes. The bill goes some way towards ensuring that the policy of ending automatic early release for all long-term prisoners will have at its heart public safety and the need for effective rehabilitation and supervision.

Section 2 is plain common sense and I welcome it. Knowing that the services were not available, it was wrong of us to send people out who really needed help not to reoffend. Section 2 will have a big effect on people when they are released and, in the long run, will help them and society to get a better understanding of how things work.

Although work is still to be done at stage 2 in committee, I feel that we are more than on the right track and I commend the bill to Parliament.