Scotland’s prison population remains stubbornly high, despite dozens of inmates being freed last week through an early release scheme.
Data published on Monday shows there were more than 8,400 people in jail as of the end of last week.
It comes after another 59 inmates were released as part of the Scottish Government’s early release programme.
The scheme has seen hundreds of short-term prisoners freed ahead of schedule, however overcrowding remains an issue in Scotland’s jails.
Earlier this year, the number of individuals in custody hit 8,452 in March, surpassing the previous record of 8,430 set in October 2025.
Scotland’s prisons were designed to hold 7,805 inmates, yet they now accommodate hundreds more.
The rise comes despite the introduction of the Prisoners (Early Release) Scotland Act 2025, which reduced the release point for eligible short-term prisoners from 50% to 40% of their sentence.
Rule change
New rules have now come into force which will change when some prisoners are automatically released.
From May, certain short-term prisoners will be automatically released after serving 30% of their sentence instead of 40%.
This will potentially reduce the numbers behind bars by more than 300.
The Scottish Prison Service says safety and wellbeing continues to be a key focus.
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