Scotland’s prison population has reached another all-time high, figures have shown.
The rise comes despite more than 600 criminals being released early over the last six months and more than 1,400 since June 2024.
A total of 8,602 inmates were being held in the country’s prisons as of Wednesday, despite the system being designed to accommodate 7,805.
The Scottish Government admitted the number of prisoners has now reached a “critical point”.
Ministers have attempted to address the crisis through repeated early release schemes but the number of inmates has continued to rise.
The Scottish Government previously passed legislation to allow some prisoners to be freed after serving 30% of their sentence.
The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) warned early release schemes would not be enough.
Assistant secretary Phil Fairlie said: “If we do not fundamentally address the root causes of criminal activity – issues such as poverty, substance misuse, relationship breakdown, homelessness and the impact of organised crime then prison spaces will be filled as soon as they are vacated and the prison population will never come down.”
He called for more prison officers to manage the “crisis” and warned unless action is taken, “we will be back having this conversation every time prison population statistics are released”.
The Scottish Conservatives said the figures are “further proof that the SNP’s early-release programme is failing”.
Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, said: “Despite the nationalists risking public safety by freeing more than 1,400 inmates early, Scotland’s prisons are still bursting at the seams and overcrowding is at critical levels.
“This crisis – and the abject response to it – is the direct result of the SNP’s failure to deliver the new prisons they promised in Glasgow and the Highlands, both of which are years behind schedule and massively over budget.
“The Scottish Conservatives believe dangerous offenders should serve their full sentences and that victims must come first.”
The Tories have proposed sending inmates to foreign jails while the country lacks capacity.
The Justice Secretary has made clear addressing Scotland's prison population in the medium to long term requires bold, collaborative action to ensure our prisons function effectively and communities remain safe
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “Scotland’s prison population is at a critical point, which is why we are taking action on both reducing the prison population and increasing capacity.
“In addition, work is already under way in response to the Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission’s recommendations, which highlight the importance of strengthening community-based alternatives to short custodial sentences – reflecting evidence that these can be more effective at reducing reoffending and supporting reintegration.
“The Justice Secretary has made clear addressing Scotland’s prison population in the medium to long term requires bold, collaborative action to ensure our prisons function effectively and communities remain safe.”
A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: “The size and complexity of our population is unsustainable and now presents a significant risk to the safety of those living and working in our establishments.
“At this level it will also impact on the wider justice system, resulting in an increased burden on our courts, policing, social work, and health partners.”