Prison should be about punishment – it protects the public from those who prey on us, and is a key deterrent.
And while there are a few who will be in and out of jail perhaps dozens of times, the best outcome for society is not a revolving door with prisoners returning time and again.
I had a fascinating visit to HMP Dumfries to see first-hand the issues.
It’s obvious a Victorian building is far from ideal for the modern world; that prisoner numbers are bouncing off the max; that prison officer numbers are at the low end of ideal.
Yet I was very struck by a letter from a constituent who is the partner of an inmate.
She says she has seen a considerable change for the better in him since he was sent to HMP Dumfries. He is, she says, better able to cope with stressful situations and is taking every course he can as he prepares for a parole hearing.
Good news for him, good news for her – and hopefully good news for society if he comes out of jail never to reoffend.
Prison officers have to be many things – part social worker for a start. But should they be mental health nurses and – with many elderly prisoners – old folks’ home staff?
With overcrowding so bad – the Scottish Prison Service say they had 8,260 inmates on 31 January, above target operating capacity of 8,007 – the SNP are letting some prisoners out early.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance ‘recognises’ early realise can be distressing for victims. I say it’s an outright betrayal.
Meanwhile, the cost of replacing Barlinnie has ballooned to almost £1billion.
It’s a crisis, one on which I am not convinced the Scottish Government have a grip.
We need more prison officers, and we need more jail capacity.
Tagging and non-custodial sentences, such as community payback orders, are helpful – if enforced.
But to let the prisons crisis limp on is not fair on prison officers, and it’s not fair on the public who expect criminals to pay the full price for their offending.