A new study has revealed almost a third of Scottish criminals are convicted of another offence within a year.
The Scottish Government has highlighted that reconviction rates within 12 months are at their lowest in 13 years at 30.1%.
Figures released by the government on Tuesday also revealed that almost one quarter of offenders convicted of violent crime reoffended within a year.
While 58.4% of offenders who were given a prison sentence of three months or less had another conviction within one year.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "We are working hard to make our streets safer and these latest statistics showing that reoffending rates are at their lowest level in over a decade are to be welcomed."
He added: "However, whilst these figures are encouraging, reoffending rates are still too high and we want to build on these latest statistics to reduce reoffending rates even further. That is exactly why we have taken action over recent years to take forward and implement the recommendations of the McLeish Prisons Commission and why we have brought in the new Community Payback Order.
"What is again made clear by these statistics is that short term prison sentences or three months or less simply don't work. Those released from a prison sentence of three months or less are reconvicted three times more often than those who get Community Service Orders and it is clear that simply locking these types of low level offenders is not the answer."
