Prison: 180 people are in prison for being caught carrying a knife in public. Pic: © STV
More than 90% of criminals behind bars for knife crime have already been jailed for the same offence.
Official figures released on Wednesday revealed that of the 180 people currently in prison for carrying a blade, 163 have received previous custodial sentences for the same crime in the past decade.
The Liberal Democrats have blasted the figures as proof that prison does not act as a deterrent to those intent on carrying knives.
Labour and the Tories have already called for mandatory prison sentences for those caught with weapons, however, both the SNP Government and the Lib Dems have opposed the move.
On Wednesday, Lib Dem justice spokesman Robert Brown said: "These figures are clear proof that custodial sentences are often necessary for the protection of the public but do not seem to work to deter anyone from carrying a knife.
"It confirms that prisons can often be, in effect, colleges of crime where prisoners come out more likely to re-offend than when they went in.
"Efforts by populist Labour and Tory politicians to outbid each other in sending more and more people to jail are short-sighted and just do not work."
The figures emerged in a Parliamentary answer from Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing and cover those convicted of having a knife in a public place who were in prison at March 7 this year.
However, the statistics only cover crimes where possession of the weapon is the main offence, and do not include more serious offences involving a knife, such as assault or murder.
Mr Brown added: "Carrying a knife is a serious crime and those caught must expect to face the consequences. All the evidence suggests that effective policing and the certainty of being caught and arrested does make a difference.
"However, sentencing decisions must be made by the courts."
However, Labour community safety spokesman James Kelly said: "A repeat knife criminal is exactly the type of dangerous offender who our communities should be protected from.
"Is Robert Brown really arguing that such offenders should be free to walk our streets?"
Mr Kelly said Labour's plans for mandatory six-month sentences for anyone caught carrying a knife has the backing of thousands of Scots.
He added: "Given knife crime is currently not being treated seriously enough, it can be no surprise that those currently in jail are repeat offenders."
Meanwhile, Tory community safety spokesman John Lamont MSP, said: "The SNP and Lib Dems need to get real. Are they seriously arguing that these people would not have reoffended if they had been out on a community service programme, of which a third are not even successfully completed?
“The latest figures show that only 30% of all people convicted of carrying an offensive weapon go to jail and nearly 60% of all homicides are carried out by a sharp instrument. These statistics simply highlight the extent of the knife crime epidemic which continues to sweep Scotland.
“We need tougher and more honest sentencing, which will send a clear message to criminals that knife crime will not be tolerated. Scottish Conservatives want a two year mandatory sentence for carrying a knife and, through the abolition of early release, for two years to mean two years.”
