Scottish Prison Service introduces week-long "home-leave"

by insideprison.com, April 2006

The approximately 140 inmates at the Noranside Prison in Angus, which includes murderers and rapists, will now enjoy a brief taste of freedom every month for exactly 7 days. This is a four-day extension on the already-allowed 3-day temporary leave for the prison. To allay security fears of local residents, Risk Assessments will be administered and only those meeting a low-risk criteria will be eligible to participate. Out of these 140, about 30 are expected to leave.

As research shows, more frequent contact with the community, especially during behavioural treatment programming, significantly reduces the chance of recidivism, and the earlier the better, in most cases. Increased community contact not only better prepares the inmate for reintegration following release, but it allows him or her to apply practical skills learned from programming outside the prison walls, as well as look for a job, go to interviews, and meet with service providers and social workers. Conditional release, even if temporary, also eases overcrowding and improves prison conditions in the short-term. Improved relations with family and friends is also considered beneficial, especially when research suggests that confinement can put a strain family relations and disrupt resolution of conflicts (BBC News Online 4 May 2006).