The charity Victim Support Scotland and the Scottish Prison Service have jointly urged victims of crime to if they will be affected by a prisoner release.
Victims of hundreds of prisoners released early in Scotland can check if they are affected. The Scottish Government passed an Emergency Bill in November 2024, allowing some short-term prisoners to be released at the 40% point of their sentence instead of the 50% point, starting from 11 February. This early release scheme does not apply to prisoners serving sentences involving statutory aggravations, such as abusive behaviour or domestic abuse. Victims can check if they will be affected by contacting Victim Support Scotland (VSS) or the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). The organizations will notify victims if there are changes to a prisoner’s release date. Victims not registered with the Victim Notification Scheme can still find out if someone will be released early under the new legislation, either by checking online or asking a support organization to assist.
