Reoffending a ‘public health issue’

Most people who are continually in and out of prison should be treated as a “public health issue”, MSPS have heard.

Community Justice Scotland chief executive Karyn Mccluskey said dealing with people who have chaotic lives, such as those with drug and alcohol problems, solely on a justice basis will not cut reoffending.

She said most of those in a custody court needed care and offering rehabilitation would be “much more effective” than remanding them in custody ahead of trial.

Giving evidence to Holyrood’s justice committee on the use of remand, Ms Mccluskey said: “People who are the most dangerous in our communities will need to be remanded but the chaotic, we absolutely do need to think of different ways of dealing with them.” She stressed the connection between homelessness and remand, saying “one leads to another” and there was “patchy” access to schemes offering alternatives to remand across the country.

“The majority of people I saw in the custody court last week needed a care package.”