Automatic Early Release Criticism

MSPs are set to approve plans to end automatic early release for prisoners serving sentences longer than four years.

Opposition parties have called the move a mess, while experts have criticised the setting of a blanket 6 month supervision period before release.

Ministers had originally planned to scrap the move for criminals spending more than 10 years behind bars, and sex offendrs serving four year terms.

Prisoners are currently eligible to apply for parole after serving half of their sentence.

Experts have criticised a blanket 6 month supervision time for all long term inmates before release, calling it arbitrary.

Tim Parkinson from the Scottish Association of Social Workers is worried that allowing just 6 months supervision time won't prepare long term prisoners time to reintegrate with society: