The Scottish government is considering legislation that would allow early release for prisoners serving short sentences to address overcrowding in jails. If approved, the Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill would enable inmates serving less than four years to be released after serving 40% of their sentence, affecting 260 to 390 prisoners starting in February 2025. Justice Secretary Angela Constance emphasized the necessity of the bill for maintaining jail safety, while excluding those convicted of domestic abuse or sexual offences.

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