Hundreds of inmates will be released early from prisons across Scotland due to serious overcrowding issues.
15:00, 11 Nov 2025Updated 15:16, 11 Nov 2025
Scots prisoners released early from jail by the SNP Government have described conditions inside as "terrible".
Dozens of inmates walked free today under a desperate bid to ease serious overcrowding issues in prisons across the country. Hundreds more will follow in the coming months.
It comes as Scotland’s prison population hit another record high today despite repeated promises by the SNP to reduce the number of people locked up by judges.
One early release prisoner leaving HMP Barlinnie in Glasgow on Tuesday described conditions there as “chaos”.
The male inmate said he had been in prison for carrying a knife and was due to be released next year. He described conditions as "terrible, shite, chaos, if one word can describe it it’s chaos”. Asked how he felt about early release he said: “I feel good.” He said his crime was “Carrying a knife, there was no victims, I was just carrying a knife.” He said it was “obvious I’m pleased” about early release.
The man left with two other ex-prisoners, who did not confirm they were part of the early release scheme.
One of them shouted “liberation” as they left the prison.
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said that the prison population reached another record high of 8,441 on November 11.
Angela Constance, the SNP Justice Secretary, said 139 prisoners will be released early this week after SNP and Green MSPs voted through plans for another mass early release scheme.
Short-term prisoners serving sentences of under four years and within 180 days of their scheduled release are eligible for emergency release.
Anyone serving a sentence for sexual offences or domestic abuse is excluded, as are registered sex offenders.
Constance said the releases are necessary to tackle overcrowding which poses a “critical risk” to the safety of those working in prisons.
She said while 213 prisoners are eligible for release this week, the “governor’s veto” means only 139 will be freed.
Holyrood voted by 66 votes to 51 with five abstentions on November 5 for regulations which will release prisoners early in the latest of a series of actions.
About 440 prisoners could be released in the first three fortnightly tranches over November and December.
Constance said she accepts the early release will have an impact on victims. She said: “What I absolutely accept is that early release will cause anxiety for some victims, there is no doubt about that.”
The Justice Secretary said that those registered with the victim notification scheme will be advised of a release date.
Those not registered can find out in other ways such as by contacting the Scottish Prison Service directly or a charity such as a victim support organisation, she said.
Constance said the foundations have been laid to establish a more “sustainable” prison population.
Earlier this year, she established the Independent Sentencing and Penal Commission, which is looking at how custody and community justice are used in the country.
The minister said she is also committed to the continued investment and expansion of “robust” community justice.
Constance added: “I’ve always been very clear that our prison population is too high and that, if we want to not have to be taking decisions for emergency release and decisions around shorter-term relief, you do, as a government, the Parliament, and a country, have to make different decisions in the longer term to have a more sustainable population."
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here