Scottish Government pledges up to £1m to support voluntary organisations

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has announced a near £1 million funding package for three leading voluntary organisations working to reduce reoffending in Scotland.

The funding will allow Apex Scotland, SACRO and Families Outside to continue to deliver a range of specialist services in 2015/16 for offenders and their families, helping to stop the cycle of reoffending.

The work of the three organisations includes targeted action to address underlying issues which fuel crime, help with employment, rehabilitation, as well as support to ensure family links are maintained so that the children of offenders do not go down the wrong path in life.

Families Outside estimate that 27,000 children lose a parent to imprisonment each year.

Last month, the Justice Secretary announced that plans for a new women’s prison at Inverclyde will not go ahead as he wants to pursue a bolder, more ambitious approach for Scotland.

Today, Mr Matheson confirmed that a series of local engagement events will take place across the country next month to allow all those with an interest to give their views on the future of female offending as part of an on-going consultation on delivering a more radical plan for Scotland.

Speaking following a meeting with the Families Outside charity who received a 15 per cent increase in funding, Mr Matheson said: “When it comes to the justice system, we must be smarter with the choices we make and be more sophisticated in the way in which we deal with offenders in Scotland.

“We need to do everything we can to break the cycle of reoffending and end the revolving door to our prisons which sees low level offenders going in and out of prisons time and time again. Scotland can do better and we can be bolder in our approach.

“We need to look at the wider picture of offending, ensuring for example, that links to the family and community can be maintained, whilst targeted work is undertaken to address the specific issue which is fuelling the crime such as alcohol, drugs or mental health issues.

“The three organisations we are helping with funding today are doing some fantastic work to break the cycle of offending through targeted intervention and I am pleased to announce this support for them,

“Whilst it is for the Courts to decide who receives a custodial sentence, I want to ensure we are providing the best possible support to offenders to help turn their lives around.”