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Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur welcomes the liberal measures in the minister's statement.

Mr McArthur says COSLA and SACRO have pointed out the real costs and need for resources.

Mr Matheson says fewer custodial sentences will mean more community disposals.

The justice secretary says he hopes to reallocate resources from the custodial estate into community measures.

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Green MSP John Finnie asks if the resource allocation will assure offenders in rural areas are not disadvantaged compared with those in urban areas.

Mr Matheson says this has been taken into account and that a specific part of the resource allocation should be reflective of the need within each community.

SNP MSP Fulton Macgregor asks what steps the government is taking to make sure programmes for domestic abuse are properly resourced.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson says the government is funding various programmes.

Mr Matheson says the government will also look at how electronic monitoring can help victims of domestic abuse.

Mr Matheson says sentencers must have confidence in the community disposals to hand and he says they have more confidence in the Community Payback Order than its predecessor.

The minister points out that the presumption against shorter sentences is just that as the sentencer can still impose a custodial sentence.

Labour MSP Calire Baker says Labour supports reform.

Ms Baker says some violent crimes such as assault and domestic abuse carry under 12 months sentencing.

The Labour MSP says the minister will have to work hard to convince the public of his plans.

She asks how plans will be properly resourced.

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Mr Matheson welcomes Mr Kerr's support for the increased use of Electronic Monitoring but is surprised he does not support more community sentencing.

The justice secretary also welcomes the support for the Domestic Abuse Bill.

He says there has been an increase in compliance and completion of Community Payback Orders.

The minister says recorded crime is at a 42 year low.

In February Police Scotland outlined plans to cut officer numbers by 400 as part of its 10-year policing plan.

At the time Chief Constable, Phil Gormley, said recruitment levels would remain unchanged in the current year, but would begin to slow between 2018-20.

He said resources would be re-directed to frontline operations, amid big financial challenges.

Last December, the spending watchdog said Scotland's police service was facing a £188m funding gap by 2020-21.

Tory MSP Liam Kerr says he welcomes parts of Mr Matheson's statement such as the points relating to electronic monitoring.

Mr Kerr says there are areas of concern and asks how it can be called a "robust system".

The Tory MSP says some offenders are waiting for one year to start their work placement.

In November we reported that people released from Scottish prisons would no longer be referred to as "offenders", under Scottish government plans.

The new National Strategy for Criminal Justice, external said they should be referred to as a "person with convictions" or "person with an offending history".

The government said the change underlined the "power of language" to affect behaviour.

Critics said it risked suggesting that ministers did not take crime seriously.

Read more here.

Mr Matheson says: "under the new model local planning, delivery and collaboration are complemented by national leadership and strategic direction provided by a new body, Community Justice Scotland.

"Community Justice Scotland will raise awareness of the benefits of community sentences and build public support. Working with community justice partners and stakeholders it will drive improvements in service delivery in order to build safer, stronger and more inclusive communities."

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The minister highlights the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill introduced in March.

Mr Matheson says: "it will ensure that when sentencing, courts are required to have regard of the need to protect victims from further offences and contains provisions which will make it mandatory for the court to consider imposing an Non-Harassment Order following a conviction."

He says: "I can confirm that we will work, in collaboration with Scottish Women's Aid, to ensure that developments in electronic monitoring will improve the safety of women and children affected by domestic abuse."

Mr Matheson says: "sitting alongside community sentences, the presumption against short sentences underlines our determination to move away from short-term custodial sentences."

He says: "It is of course a presumption, and not a ban. Sentencing discretion remains with the courts, and it is for the court to decide the appropriate sentence based on the facts at hand.

"The purpose of the presumption is to ensure that short sentences are imposed when they are the only suitable option."

The minister says the responses to the consultation were overwhelmingly supportive of an extension and the majority of those who expressed a view favoured a presumption against sentences of 12 months or less.

He says: "there was however a clear view that any extension of the presumption would need to be accompanied by a commitment to developing and resourcing community sentences, and concerns were voiced by a number of respondents over the need to ensure the court was able to take steps to protect victims, especially victims of domestic violence."

The justice secretary says: "funding for criminal justice social work remains at record levels: we invested an additional £4 million in community sentences in 2016-17 and again in 2017-18.

"Last week we announced legislation which would give our sentencers broader options and powers for using electronic monitoring.

" And just this morning we published the analysis of a public consultation on our next steps."

Mr Matheson says the forthcoming legislation will expand the range of options and enable the use of new technology, such as GPS.

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In May we reported that the number of people receiving a second conviction within a year has fallen to the lowest level for 18 years.

Official figures published by the Scottish government, external showed that 28% of offenders were reconvicted in 2014/15.

Reconvictions have dropped by 19% since 1997/98.

But the statistics also revealed that, of the people released from short-term prison sentences of six months or less, more than half (57%) were reconvicted within a year.

Of those given a community payback order (CPO), around a third (32.7%) were reconvicted.

Read more here.

Mr Matheson says: "over the past decade this Government has taken steps to end our reliance on custody and move towards effective community sentences that enhance public safety and promote rehabilitation, and that evidence shows are more effective at reducing re-offending and thus reducing the risk of further victims.

"When this government first came to power more people were given custodial sentences than community sentences.

"Since then there has been an increasing shift in favour of community sentences, the latest figures show that in 2015/16 over 5,000 more community sentences were imposed than custodial sentences.

"That's 5,000 more opportunities for individuals to pay back for the harm they have caused."