CONCERNS have been raised by prison reform charities about the dramatic fall in prisoners being released on electronic tags, which it is claimed is leading to overcrowding in Scotland’s jails.

Scottish Prison Service statistics show 34 women and 252 men were released under Home Detention Curfew (HDC) – which sees prisoner leave jail with an electronic tag – in the week starting June 15 last year. However, figures reveal that in the same week this year just eight women and 42 men were allowed to leave on electronic tags.

The dramatic fall – which has seen more than 80% less prisoners being assessed as suitable for electronic tags – was first seen in February and figures have remained consistently low. Prison numbers reached 8218 in mid June, with less than 0.6% allowed electronic tags. In previous years this group accounted for about 4% of the prison population.

It follows tighter assessment procedures introduced due to the brutal murder of Craig McClelland, who was killed by James Wright while he was on home detention and wearing an electronic tag in July 17.

In response, rules surrounding Home Detention Curfews (HDCs) were tightened to exclude those with a history of violence, knife crime or links to organised crime in October last year.

A review by Scottish Prisons inspector Wendy Sinclair-Gieben recommended “a root and branch review of the assessment process for HDC”. The devastated McCelland family has repeatedly called for a public inquiry.

However both the Prison Reform Trust and Families Outside told the Sunday National that though they agreed robust risk assessment was crucial, they now had serious concerns that many prisoners were now being denied electronic tags without good reason.

Anne Pinkman, Scottish programme manager for the Prison Reform Trust, claimed that while risk management was essential, the implementation of the criteria was “a sledge hammer to crack a nut”, leading to many non-violent prisoners – including women with children – to be denied access to the scheme.

She is now calling for better information sharing procedures in order to help assessors make better decisions about who should be eligible. Amendments to the Management of Offenders Bill, including those which will address information sharing, will be heard by the Scottish Parliament this Tuesday.

Pinkman said: “Since the new assessment tool has been put in place, the number of people released on tags has dramatically fallen. I think it’s a sledge hammer to crack a nut. When you go back to the fact that the figures show an 80% success rate of HDC, it does suggest that this new assessment has become too extreme. If the numbers have reduced so dramatically we must be keeping some people in prison unnecessarily. In fact it has contributed to prison numbers exceeding capacity.”

She claimed that research showed that prisoners found home release while on a tag helped them transition back into the community and lowering the risk of re-offending.

Women in particular were losing out due to the way the new assessment tool was being used, she claimed.

She added: “The fact that we are now taking into account previous convictions needs to be looked at. That’s not to dismiss serious concerns. But we need more information about what those might be. I think we need to look at this for both men and women.

“If you look at the number of women of in prison many will have an element of violence – but it may be very minor”. She claimed it could be related to self-defence in domestic violence cases, resisting arrest, or it even a previous spent conviction.

“Domestic abuse is a driver towards women’s offending which is an important and concerning issue. In relation to women being detained in particular, this impacts very significantly on their children.”

Nancy Loucks of charity Families Outside, claimed she also had concerns. “Where properly risk-assessed and supported, early release on Home Detention Curfew provides an essential transition from custody to the community for prisoners and families alike,” she added.

“Reduction in the use of electronic tags harms everyone. It reduces the opportunity for people to adjust to life outside in a controlled way, it extends the time families are separated and therefore delays restoration of supportive family relationships, and it increases overcrowding, which means people in prison have less access to the support they need while in custody.”

Last week the National Prison Visitor Centre conference focused on support for families when someone is released from prison, which, Loucks claims, is still a neglected area that can be addressed by home curfews, helping prisoners re-adjust to family life. The conference also highlighted how the introduction of in-cell telephones and and video visits, announced by Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf earlier this month, will help address the issue.

She added: “In-cell telephones and especially video visits are incredibly important to maintain family ties, especially for families who may otherwise be unable to visit due to distance, cost, or ill health. People who maintain family ties while in prison are up to six times less likely to reoffend on release, so initiatives like this make things safer for everyone.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said: “Home Detention Curfew (HDC) remains an important part of the reintegration process for some people leaving custody. The SPS has implemented the recommendations from HMIPS review and we will continue to work with colleagues to ensure that HDC works as efficiently and effectively as possible and remains an important element in our strategy to reintegrate people back into society.”

A Scottish Government spokesman claimed HDC was “an important part of the justice system”, which Yousaf, is “currently keeping under close review”.

“We are taking action through amendments tabled this week to the Management of Offenders Bill to enable better information exchange prior to consideration of HDC release and in April we published a research review of electronic monitoring showing the benefits of HDC,” he added.

“HDC is an important way of providing structure for those returning to their community from custody and the Scottish Government, through measures in the Management of Offenders Bill, remain committed to working with stakeholders on expanding use of electronic monitoring.”