Scottish Parliament – Feb. 20, 2025 – 3

S6M-16532: That the Parliament notes that Scotland has one of the highest proportions of prisoners in Western Europe;

recognises the action that has been taken to establish a sustainable prison population and shift the balance between the use of custody and justice in the community, while protecting the public from harm;

acknowledges the need for an independent review of sentencing and penal policy to consider how imprisonment and community interventions are used;

further acknowledges the key role that the third sector can play in the effective delivery of justice services that reduce reoffending, and support rehabilitation and reintegration into society;

agrees that there is a need for strong partnership working and co-ordination between third sector organisations, justice social work and the Scottish Prison Service to provide support and improve outcomes for those leaving prison, and believes that the Parliament has an important role to play in discussing the use of imprisonment and the best means for addressing offending behaviour, by both effective prevention and appropriate rehabilitation, and for reducing crime and keeping communities safe.