Record number of offenders are back on streets
WHY WAS JASON GRAHAM FREED?
UNDER the early release system prior to 2016, prisoners serving sentences of more than four years were automatically freed at the two-thirds point of their sentence. This is no longer the case – longer-term prisoners must serve their full sentence. Graham was freed under the old rules. In such cases, the Parole Board for Scotland sets conditions for licence, but does not decide whether someone should be freed. Automatic early release only applies to short-term prisoners – serving less than four years – who are freed at the halfway point.
WHAT DOES THE PAROLE BOARD DO?
The Parole Board for Scotland is a public body whose members are appointed by ministers but operates independently from the Scottish Government. It decides whether someone can be freed at the halfway point of their sentence – but in Graham’s case he was freed automatically and the Board had no role in this. However it sets the conditions for licence such as imposing a limited geographical restriction, for example by forbidding an offender from entering a particular street. The precise terms of a prisoner’s licence are not made public.
WHAT IS A LICENCE?
The licence will require the offender to report promptly to their supervising officer and abide by all conditions named on the licence – for example, informing their supervising officer of a change of circumstances which could include a change of address or employment. They may also be required to stay at specific accommodation or to undertake counselling on particular problems such as alcohol or drugs. If they do not keep in touch with their supervising officer or fail to co-operate with other licence conditions, they may be recalled to custody to serve the remainder of their sentence.
HOW ARE SEX OFFENDERS MONITORED IN THE COMMUNITY?
After being released, all registered sex offenders in Scotland fall under the management of the MultiAgency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). The goal of MAPPA is to protect the public by minimising the risk of harm presented by violent and sexual offenders. The main agencies involved include Police Scotland, local authorities, Scottish Prison Service and the health boards for restricted patients.
HOW MANY SEX OFFENDERS ARE IN THE COMMUNITY?
Police warn they are struggling to keep the public safe from record numbers of sex offenders on Scotland’s streets. New figures show 4,417 are now living in communities across the country and officers say the rise in cases is proving a challenge to monitor properly – with fears some will fall through the cracks and reoffend. The Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said the ‘huge’ caseloads now facing some of those tasked with keeping an eye on registered sex offenders (RSOs) were not only posing a welfare risk to them but were becoming a danger to the public.
HOW COMMON IS IT FOR SEX OFFENDERS TO REOFFEND?
Nearly 100 sex offenders being monitored by police and social workers were last year convicted of further serious crimes. Ninety-six were guilty of either violent or sexual offences despite being on the radar of the authorities. The pandemic has caused a build-up of cases as courts shut. Officials fear a return to normal business will see a surge in the number of RSOs in the community. Meanwhile, as Scottish Government policies aim to empty prisons of minor offenders, a record twothirds of sex convictions resulted in a non-custodial sentence last year, up from 53 per cent in 2016.