VICTIMS’ SUPPORT GROUP ‘DISAPPOINTED’ AT COMMITTEE’S REJECTION OF TOUGH COMMUNITY PUNISHMENT

VICTIMS’ SUPPORT GROUP ‘DISAPPOINTED’ AT COMMITTEE’S REJECTION OF TOUGH COMMUNITY PUNISHMENT

LABOUR-TORY OPPORTUNISM DELAYING GOAL OF SAFER SCOTLAND

SNP MSP Stewart Maxwell – a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee – has welcomed comments from the David McKenna, Chief Executive, Victim Support Scotland, supporting the Scottish Government’s proposed community sentences and expressing disappointment at Tory and Labour members of the Justice Committee rejecting a presumption against short sentences.

Interviewed on BBC Good Morning Scotland this morning Mr McKenna said:

“Well we’ve obviously as an organisation supported the introduction of robust and timeous community penalties for offenders in non-violent, non-serious cases, so we’re a bit disappointed that the committee has taken the decision not to support this proposal within the bill.

“Certainly we hope that they can be assured that this will work for Scotland, because I think this is a golden opportunity really to take a radical and new view of how we deal with crime in our communities, making it better for communities but more importantly making it better for victims.”

Commenting Mr Maxwell said:

“Victim Support Scotland speak for the victims of crime and Mr McKenna’s support for the tough community sentences proposed by the Scottish Government is very welcome.

“They are the experts when it comes to the views and position of victims on how we deal with criminality and what punishment is best to avoid more people becoming the victims of crime.

“They support tough community punishment because the facts show that they work. Those criminals who are sentenced to community punishment are far less likely to reoffend than those who are given short sentences.

“That Victim Support Scotland have expressed their disappointment only exposes the hollowness and opportunism of both the Tory and Labour attacks on this policy.

“Ensuring a safer Scotland requires serious policies not opportunistic grandstanding that delays that aim. It’s about time the Labour-Tory alliance stopped playing politics and blocking progress to making a safer Scotland. It's time they gave clear answers to what serious alternatives they have to cut reoffending instead of this constant negativity that blocks progress to a safer Scotland.”