Last week the Justice Committee heard from:

• Laura Hoskins of Community Justice Scotland, external
• Colin McConnell from the Scottish Prison Service, external
• James Maybee, representing Social Work Scotland, external
• Kate Wallace from Victim Support Scotland, external

Image source, bbc

And then from:

• Dr Katrina Morrison from Howard League Scotland, external
• Dr Sarah Armstrong from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, external
• Professor Cyrus Tata of the Centre for Law, Crime and Justice, external

Click here and refresh the page for our reports on what they had to say.

Or watch again here., external

Mr Yousaf asks if Liam Kerr is denying the fact that all the research shows community sentences are more effective than prison sentences.

Mr Kerr replies that he is only reflecting back what Prof Tata told this committee, that there was shockingly poor data.

Ms Mitchell says she thinks Prof Tata said people on short term sentences have no access to rehabilitation services and as a result resources are being directed towards these people and a huge amount can be done.

Mr Yousaf insists prison can't do everything and community sentences are better in terms of rehabilitation.

Image source, bbc

James Younger has spent a total of 600 hours on community payback orders.

He is now training to be a mentor who helps others understand the value of unpaid work schemes.

"I feel as if I had a lightbulb moment," he said. "So my outlook is now completely different.

"I am on a development worker programme which will help me share my life experience with other boys and help them to move on and do the right thing in theirs."

James said community pay back orders are not a "soft-option".

Read more.

Tory MSP Liam Kerr highlights the comments made by UK Justice Secretary David Gauke were about avoiding problems in Scotland with CPOs.

He asks about the number of criminals expected to go into the CPO system instead of into prisons.

Mr Yousaf says judges will ultimately have the decision to make about sentences, because this is only a presumption.

Less than a third of people do not complete CPOs he accepts, adding the government will do more to lower this.

Peter Conlong says there is a limit to how much can be extrapolated from the presumption against three month sentences, but he estimates there will be a 7.5% increase in community sentences.

This equates to 1,300 people, he adds.

Labour MSP Daniel Johnson says since 2003 there has been approximately a halving of sentences up to three months being handed up.

However sentences over one year to two years have doubled and he asks if sheriffs are "up-tariffing".

Mr Yousaf accepts this is an important point, but says choosing to extend to 12 months for the presumption is to prevent "up-tarrifing".

Ms Mitchell asks if the minister is saying the presumption has achieved the 19-year low in reconviction rates.

The justice secretary replies he is sure it has been part of it.

Mr Yousaf accepts the 19-year low is not solely due to the presumption but is part of a broader package of reform.

He points out the UK government has often lauded Scotland on this issue and adds Tory leadership candidate and former UK prisons minister Rory Stewart has been vocal on this.

Committee convener Margaret Mitchell queries the evidence on the impact on the current presumption against three month sentences.

Mr Yousaf replies there are several unequivocal studies backing the presumption and adds "the evidence is absolutely overwhelming for this progressive reform".

Ms Mitchell says it seems fair, given the evidence the committee has heard, to say the presumption has not had a significant impact.

She cites evidence from Prof Tata last week questioning the assertions backing the presumption.

The justice secretary replies it would be incredible if you could find evidence that short sentences are not better for rehabilitation than CPOs.

Image source, Getty Images

Proposals to restrict the use of short prison sentences have been published by the Scottish government.

If passed by MSPs at Holyrood, it will oblige courts to explain why custodial terms of less than a year were given.

Ministers say the current presumption against sentences of three months or less has helped achieve a 19-year low in re-conviction rates.

That is despite research published earlier this month suggesting the change has had little effect.

Read more.

Mr Yousaf says people released from short custodial sentences of 12 months or under are reconvicted almost twice as often as people who have received a community payback order (CPO).

The minister argues community sentences are not '"soft touch justice".

He reminds us that Scotland has the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe – with 150 per 100,000 of the population incarcerated.

"We need to have community sentences that sentencers, offenders, communities and victims can have confidence in," he adds.

Mr Yousaf cites an additional £9.5m per year on community justice services compared to four years ago.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf begins his opening statement saying the government is seeking to extend the presumption now that additional safeguards to protect victims in the Domestic Abuse Act are in force.

Mr Yousaf stresses: "The presumption is not a ban."

He tells the committee the judiciary will continue to be able to impose a custodial sentence under 12 months where alternatives are not appropriate.

However he says the evidence that short periods of imprisonment do not work is clear.

MSPs are now taking evidence on the Presumption Against Short Periods of Imprisonment (Scotland) Order 2019 [draft], external from:

• Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf
• David Doris from the Scottish government
• Peter Conlong from the Scottish government
• Isobel Joiner from the Scottish government

Currently the presumption is against jail terms of less than three months.

The Scottish government is proposing to increase this to sentences of less than one year.

The committee papers are here., external

The Justice Committee begins shortly.

MSPs will take evidence on the Presumption Against Short Periods of Imprisonment (Scotland) Order 2019 [draft], external from:

• Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf
• David Doris from the Scottish government
• Peter Conlong from the Scottish government
• Isobel Joiner from the Scottish government

Image source, Getty Images

The committee will then continue to consider secure care for children and young people in Scotland, taking evidence from:

• Kirsten Hogg from Barnardo's Scotland
• Deborah Nolan from the Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice
• Karen Dyball from Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership

The committee papers are here., external

Image source, Getty Images

Here's what Holyrood Live are covering on Tuesday 11 June 2019:

• 10am: Justice Committee – Humza Yousaf gives evidence on the order to extend the presumption against short sentences to 12 months or less
• 2.05pm: Topical Questions: MSPs ask about Scotland's fisheries interests around Rockall and broadband during topical questions
• 2.20pm: Update on P1 Standardised Assessments Ministerial Statement
• 2.50pm: Fuel Poverty (Target, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Bill Stage 3 Debate
• 3.50pm: Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill Stage 3 Proceedings
• 5.05pm: The Way of St Andrews – Member’s Debate