Shake-up call for life terms in jail
SCOTLAND should abolish automatic life sentences for murderers, according to a leading international justice expert.
Professor Dirk Van Zyl Smit said the country, which has twice as many “lifers” as France, had a gettough penal system which was increasingly out of kilter with the rest of Europe.
He insists “not all murderers are equally dangerous” and urged Scotland to follow the example of places like Norway, where terrorist Anders Breivik was given a maximum sentence of 21 years for killing 77 people.
Scotland, Prof Van Zyl Smit said, is now proportionately sentencing more people to life than any other European country, including England and Wales.
In absolute terms, Scotland has around 1000 life prisoners and England about 5500. By comparison, Russia has 1800 prisoners serving life whereas France has 500.
Countries like Russia and France only sentence the most seri- ous killers to life, such as terrorists or child sex murderers. Germany gives life to all murderers but has a very narrow definition of the crime of murder.
Other nations such as Uruguay and Norway have abolished lift sentences altogether but can keep someone locked up on public safety grounds.
The Scottish Government i n recent years has been accused of adopting “soft-touch” justice policies by right-wing opponents and commentators.
However, figures show it has one of the highest incarceration rates in western Europe.
Professor Van Zyl Smit said: “Scottish people often have an idea of the criminal justice system as not being as harsh as elsewhere. At the top end that is not true.
“The UK has the highest rate of life sentencing in Europe and Scotland sentences more prisoners to life, proportionately, than England.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Sentencing decisions in each individual case are determined by the courts.”
Former Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “It seems to me that the Sentencing Commission should be asked to consider the situation as to disparities with elsewhere.”