Justice Social Work Statistics In Scotland: 2022-23

12 Pre-release reports

( Table 1 )

Part of statutory throughcare involves preparing reports to inform temporary release from prison on home leave and liberation on licence.

In 2022-23, 1,200 home leave reports were produced. This was 31 per cent higher than in 2021-22 and was the first annual rise since 2019-20. The total for 2022-23 was similar to the most recent pre-pandemic years. A total of 2,400 reports for release from prison on parole/non-parole licence were recorded in 2022-23. This was around the same as in 2021-22, after rising each year since 2013-14.

Overall, pre-release reports from 2013-14 to 2016-17 were nearly 50:50 between home leave and parole/non-parole reports. This ratio has, however, changed in the last six years. The percentage of reports which were parole/non-parole was 67 per cent in 2022-23, with the remaining 33 per cent home leave reports.

From 2006, those serving a custodial sentence may also be released early under a home detention curfew scheme. From 2013-14 to 2017-18, there were at least 2,500 reports a year. This declined in 2018-19 to 1,900 and has fallen further since then, averaging 800 in the last four years. The total of 730 in 2022-23 was the lowest in the last decade.