McGrigor attacks Orkney reconviction figures

MSP Jamie McGrigor has described as appalling new figures which show that nearly a quarter of those convicted of crime in Orkney are reconvicted of new offences within 2 years.

The Conservative MSP said it was clear evidence that convicted criminals were not being rehabilitated successfully.

Jamie McGrigor said “These figures are appalling. Labour and their Liberal Democrat colleagues should hang their heads in shame.

“24% of people convicted in Orkney are being reconvicted within two years, with one in ten reconvicted within only 6 months. But what is most concerning is that these figures are from 2002/3 so who can tell how bad the situation is now.

“Nothing could demonstrate more clearly that convicted criminals are not being rehabilitated successfully or helped off the conveyor belt of crime. The Scottish Executive has a responsibility to protect the honest law-abiding citizen from those who wish to commit crime but it is a responsibility which Labour and Liberal Democrat ministers are failing to meet.

“We now have fewer police on the beat, far easier access to bail, ineffective community sentences and, as these figures show, a cancer of repeat offenders causing mayhem and misery”.

Mr McGrigor said the Scottish Conservative “Three Strikes” policy, whereby anyone given a third custodial sentence for any crime will receive an extra tariff automatically, was the first step in the fight against the problem in Orkney.

“This policy will help prisons to fulfil their objectives; protecting the public, deterring criminals, punishing them for their crimes and rehabilitation.

“It will send a clear message to criminals in Orkney that we will not tolerate repeated, serious offending such as mugging, robbing, rape, assault and burglary”.