Time for reflectionpublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Mr John Howieson from the Humanist Society Scotland is delivering today's time for reflection - in Gaelic!
Click here for the Scottish Parliament's English translation., external
Summary
The Justice Committee takes evidence on the move to restrict jail sentences of less than 12 months
Topical questions on GP out-of-hours and prisoners being transported in family cars
The Scottish Tories lead debates on life prison sentences and then the economy
An SNP MSP hosts a debate on dementia care
Time for reflectionpublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Coming up in the chamber this afternoonpublished at 12:48 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, MSPs will debate giving judges the power to hand down whole life sentences
After lunch, topical questions focus on out-of-hours GP services in Glasgow and reports that prisoners are being transported in family cars.
Then the Scottish Conservatives lead a debate calling for judges to have the power to hand down whole life sentences.
And the party also hold a debate on the economy, calling for a new policy framework to respond to what it calls "structural challenges".
Ending the day, SNP MSP Richard Lyle is lead a member's debate on dementia care.
And then there were none.................published at 12:44 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postThe climate change secretary has arrivedpublished at 12:40 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPostpublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postSub-committee on policingpublished at 12:23 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Image source, bbcImage caption, Green MSP John Finnie updates MSPs on the work of the sub-committee on policing
The committee will briefly discuss feedback from the policing committee.
Last week it took evidence on Police Scotland's budget and was told that the capital allocation was inadequate, which was impacting service efficiency.
Time for some sub legpublished at 12:22 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
The committee is considering the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 (Rural Housing Bodies) Amendment Order 2019, external.
Postpublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postElectronic monitoring ensure compliance with restriction of liberty orderpublished at 12:19 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Image source, SPLSNP MSP Fulton Macgregor asks about using electronic monitoring as an alternative to prison sentences.
Lord Turnbull says this option is available as part of CPOs.
He explains it is a tool to ensure compliance for a restriction of liberty order.
Postpublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPostpublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postPeople on CPOs get chances to repeat if they have explanation for breachpublished at 12:13 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Lord Turnbull explains sentencers reach a stage where they look at someone as if they don't wish to comply with alternatives to custody, rather than being unable to comply.
People who fail to comply with CPOs will ordinarily get another chance if they have an explanation, he says.
Warning against no sanctions for non-custodial sentence breachespublished at 12:10 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Image caption, Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur
Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur wonders about greater use of non-custodial sentences.
Lord Turnbull says if somebody is given a community payback order but does not do it, he queries what the court should do.
If the court has no sanction there is a risk that non-custodial sentences come to be portrayed as voluntary, he warns, which would undermine confidence in the judiciary.
Postpublished at 12:09 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postIt is important judges are aware of alternatives to prisonpublished at 12:07 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
SNP MSP Shona Robison asks about the geographic variance around the implementation of the presumption against three month sentences.
Lord Turnbull suspects sentencers from the sheriff court would be better placed to answer that and argues they do not see non-custodial sentences as a soft option.
The requirement to undertake unpaid work in the community is a significant sentence which requires effort and benefits the person doing it, he adds.
The senator of the College of Justice says it is important judges are aware of the alternatives.
Background: Scotland's first court sentencing guidelines come into forcepublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Scotland's first sentencing guidelines for how courts deal with all offenders came into force in November.
The guidelines were approved by three senior judges in October.
The core principle of sentencing is stated to be "fairness and proportionality".
Lady Dorian, chairwoman of the Scottish Sentencing Council and Scotland's second most senior judge, said the guidelines would support consistency in sentencing and decision-making.
Third place in the key race goes to...published at 12:01 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TwitterThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Skip twitter postThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
End of twitter postWhy are prison sentences preferred to alternatives?published at 11:58 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Image caption, Lord Turnbull is a senator of the College of Justice
Labour MSP Daniel Johnson asks Lord Turnbull why prison sentences are preferred to the alternatives at the moment.
Lord Turnbull points out sentencers would prefer not to send people to prison if they could.
The Senator of the College of Justice goes on to say sentencers are guided by a number of considerations, one of which is plainly the seriousness of the offence.
The guidelines the council produced had parsimony as one principle behind it so prison sentences are used when there is no alternative, says Lord Turnbull.
He adds the alternatives, like CPOs, available are well liked and robust, but other options would help.
Last panel of the morning...published at 11:54 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
MSPs are now hearing from:
- Lord Turnbull, a senator of the College of Justice, external
- Graham Ackerman from theScottish Sentencing Council, external
Should there be a target of no women in prison for less than 12 months?published at 11:52 British Summer Time 4 June 2019
Image source, bbcImage caption, SNP MSP Rona Mackay
SNP MSP Rona Mackay asks if we should we be setting a target that no women should serve a sentence less than 12 months by 2030.
It's a really nice question, replies Prof Tata, but adds he would couch this in terms of the seriousness of the case.
Dr Katrina Morrison recognises the very vulnerable position of women in prison.
The Howard League Scotland representative backs any measure reducing the number of women in custody.
But she adds such a target would not get her support for the same reasons elucidated by Prof Tata.