How can prison sentencing be reduced?

Tata, Cyrus (2016) How can prison sentencing be reduced? Scottish Justice Matters, 4 (1). pp. 1-3. ISSN 2052-7950

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Abstract

Currently, Scotland has one of the highest proportionate rates of imprisonment in Western Europe, which the Justice Secretary, Michael Matheson, has described as “totally unacceptable”. He wants to reduce radically the size of the prison population so that investment can be switched from incarceration to community penalties. Presently, extending the existing presumption against passing short custodial sentences appears to be the main tool in the Government’s box. Yet, will extending the Presumption work? If not, what else can be done?