Up to 3900 inmates to be released early in Scotland

The law change in Scotland replicates a change made south of the border by the UK government as minsters grapple with overcrowded jails.

In the long term, the Scottish government said it could result in a sustained reduction of about 5% to the sentenced prison population.

According to the latest figures, there were 8,223 in Scotland’s prisons – above the target operating capacity of 8,007.

In the summer, almost 500 people were let out early under an emergency scheme introduced by the Scottish government.

It involved prisoners who had been sentenced to less than four years in jail and who had less than 180 days still to serve.

But it was revealed in September that the prison population was already higher than it had been before the early release.

In October, the Scottish government shelved proposals for the automatic early release of long-term prisoners due to concerns from victims of crime.

The Prison Officers’ Association supported the new early release law, which it described as “a step in the right direction in helping to reduce prisoner numbers”.