Viewpoint

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Viewpoint. Media comment and opinion from Sacro.

Viewpoint is a forum for Sacro to put forward its views on current issues and developments affecting community justice and offending in Scotland.

In addition to Sacro’s viewpoint on a given subject, we have also included at least one link to the source of the article.

If you would like further information or comment on any of these views, please email Sacro’s communications unit or telephone 0131 624 7270/7295

Victims given right to address parole hearings of criminals. 28 April 2010 >> article	VIEWPOINT
Victims of crime will be allowed to appear at Parole Board hearings of people convicted of offences against them.
Scotland’s criminal justice system is failing women and it is failing them badly. 27 January 2010	VIEWPOINT
Today’s report into the state of Cornton Vale women’s prison identifies an institution “in-crisis”. What constitutes this crisis is not a failing prison regime but a failure of the Scottish justice system to deal appropriately with many of the women who come into contact with it.
Community service ‘too hard for felons’. The Sunday Times, 18 October 2009 >> article	VIEWPOINT
Judges are refusing to impose community service orders as they consider them too tough for offenders, a study shows.
LibDem: Prison largely useless as deterrent to knife crime. The Herald: 24 August 2009 >> article	VIEWPOINT
Almost two-thirds of prisoners in jail for possession of an offensive weapon have already been behind bars for the same crime, it was revealed yesterday.
£5.5m bid to speed up community service. The Herald: 24 June 2009 >> article	VIEWPOINT
Ministers are to plough an extra £5.5million into trying to speed up the system of community service orders, MSPs heard yesterday.
Parents’ sex offender checks piloted. The Courier: 28 May 2009 >> article	VIEWPOINT
Parents in Tayside will be the first in Scotland to be given new rights to know if a sex offender has access to their children.
MacAskill: Hawk should not have been in open jail. Daily Express: 28 May 2009 >> article	VIEWPOINT
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill was forced to admit yesterday that a violent criminal who fled an open prison should not have been there under rules he introduced a year ago.
Prison Chief: Kirk can help sex offenders back to society. The Herald: 27 May 2009 >> article	VIEWPOINT
The Kirk could help reduce the number of victims of abuse by offering sex offenders a role in congregations, the chief inspector of prisons in Scotland told church leaders yesterday.
Self-harm incidents ‘rocket’ at all female prison. The Herald: 26 May 2009 >> article	VIEWPOINT
Scottish Prison Service figures showed that there were 64 reports of self-harm, or planned or attempted self-harm in Cornton Vale Prison in Stirling last year
Parties want mandatory jail terms for knife thugs. The Herald: 14 May 2009 >> article	VIEWPOINT
There are growing demands from opposition parties for anyone carrying a knife to face a mandatory jail term.
Justice minister: Prison's a skoosh. The Scotsman: 11 May 2009 >> article	VIEWPOINT
Kenny MacAskill, Scotland's justice secretary, sparked a furious backlash last night for describing prison as a "bit of a skoosh" for short-term prisoners.
Summary “Protecting Scotland’s Communities – Fair, Fast and Flexible Justice” Scottish Government: 17 December 2008. >> report	SUMMARY
The Scottish Government’s direct response to “Scotland’s Choice – the Report of the Scottish Prisons Commission”.
Scottish Prisons Commission Report. Scottish Government: 1 July 2008 >> report	VIEWPOINT
Established by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Prison Commission examined Scotland’s use of imprisonment in the 21st century.

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