RISE OF SOFT-TOUCH SENTENCES
SOFT-TOUCH justice policies have seen people caught with drugs spared tough punishment.
Prosecutors are allowing some of those found in possession of drugs, including Ecstasy, to be spared court appearances and criminal records.
The scheme comes despite a tripling in the number of deaths from Ecstasy since 2008 and a rise in narcotics crime overall.
In 2014, Regane MacColl, 17, had a seizure at a Glasgow nightclub and later died after apparently taking a ‘Mortal Kombat’ Ecstasy-style pill.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson authorised the national roll-out of the Fiscal Work Order (FWO) scheme last year as a way of easing pressure on courts. Under the softtouch initiative, drug-users are allowed to carry out tasks such as decorating, gardening or helping in a charity shop in their spare time, at evenings or weekends.
While incidents relating to FWOs are kept on file, no fine is levied or other legal action taken.
Under a separate scheme launched this year, police handed out nearly 5,000 soft-touch warnings to ‘minor’ criminals in only five months – but have refused to reveal how many were for cannabis possession.
Recorded Police Warnings (RPWs) were introduced in January amid a row over claims they effectively ‘legalise’ cannabis.
They are given out for supposedly lower-level crimes such as shoplifting but can be issued to people caught with the dangerous class B substance.
Police Scotland recently disclosed that more than 4, 00 RPWs had been imposed since January 11, with about 480 given to 1 and 17-year-olds.
But the force declined to reveal the crimes involved and how many were related to cannabis – in case it encouraged people to break the law – sparking claims that police may have ‘something to hide’.