Up to 500 criminals with fewer than four years left on their sentence will be granted early release under Scottish government plans to ease a prison overcrowding crisis.
A surge in the number of inmates has caused a “critical risk” to safety with health and rehabilitation services “severely curtailed”, the minister responsible for prisons said.
Prison populations have increased across every area but a rise in convictions of gang members and paedophiles has led to fears of major outbreaks of violence.
Senior justice sources described the situation as “critical” with efforts to keep warring and vulnerable prisoners separate adding to the problems delivering healthcare.
Adults are being held in Polmont Young Offenders Institution to try to ease the strain on adult prisons, with young
