Crime and punishment

SCOTLAND�S creaking prison system could be on the brink of a new era. Handed a radical blueprint by last year�s Scottish Prisons Commission, justice secretary Kenny MacAskill is pushing a bill through Holyrood to end overcrowding by diverting thousands of low-risk offenders to community service. By creating a presumption against custodial sentences of less than six months, the bill aims to stop the �churn� of petty offenders and addicts, freeing prison staff to focus on rehabilitating the most serious criminals. However, next week judges will add their opposition to that of Labour and Tory MSPs, while cash is short and the public remains sceptical about community service. Tom Gordon listens to views on the frontline in Scotland�s largest prison and in a model community service scheme, and hears how MacAskill now considers jail a �skoosh� for those idling in their cells.