Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill: island communities impact assessment

Findings in relation to impacts on island communities

The crime rate on the islands is much lower when compared to Scotland as a whole, which combined with the relatively low population of the islands, means that there may not be the range of community justice services (particularly specialist services) as readily available to those communities as they are for larger local authority areas.

Individuals may have to travel further in order to access particular community justice services, including those which provide throughcare support.

However this challenge is not unique to island communities and can also be an issue in rural areas on the mainland.