Scotland’s prison population has surged to an unprecedented level, prompting urgent warnings over inmate safety and criticism of government management. Figures released by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) show that on Tuesday, the number of people in custody reached 8,430—the highest in the country’s history, surpassing the previous record of 8,420 set in 2012.
The SPS described the current situation as one of “very serious concern,” warning that overcrowding is now compromising its ability to ensure the safety of both inmates and staff. The Scottish government also acknowledged the gravity of the crisis, saying “immediate action” was required to protect those living and working in prisons.
Despite the daily fluctuation in numbers, the population has consistently remained above 8,400 over the past week. This surge has occurred even after the government’s recent efforts to ease pressure by releasing inmates early. Earlier this year, more than 300 prisoners, roughly half of them serving sentences for violent crimes, were released between February and March to create more space. The SPS has also confirmed that over 120 inmates are currently being managed outside of prison under home detention curfews.
Scotland’s prisons were originally designed to accommodate 7,805 inmates, meaning facilities are now housing more than 600 individuals above capacity—roughly equivalent to an additional medium-sized prison such as HMP & YOI Grampian or HMP Shotts.
One of the key factors behind this overcrowding is the increase in long-term prisoners serving sentences of four years or more. That group has now risen to 4,012, marking an increase of over 600 in just two years. In contrast, the number of short-term prisoners has declined by about 130 during the same period.
The Prisoners (Early Release) Scotland Act 2025, which came into force earlier this year, allowed eligible short-term prisoners to be released after serving 40% of their sentences instead of 50%. While this measure briefly eased overcrowding, prison numbers have since continued to climb, pushing the system to breaking point.
SPS chief executive Teresa Medhurst said staff had been managing “an extremely complex and far too high population for almost two years,” commending their professionalism under immense strain. “However, we have now reached a new record high—an unfortunate landmark which none of us wanted to see,” she said. “The level of overcrowding was already restricting our ability to support rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. Now it is raising serious concerns about our ability to keep people safe and secure.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish government said that the Justice Secretary had introduced emergency measures in Parliament to tackle the crisis, ensuring public safety remained paramount. “Our priority is to ensure that those who work and live in prisons are kept safe,” the statement read.
Opposition leaders, however, sharply criticised the government’s approach. Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Liam Kerr MSP accused ministers of “reckless early release” policies that had endangered communities. “Their only ‘solution’ to overcrowding is the early release of dangerous criminals, which has made our streets less safe,” he said, warning that several more rounds of releases were being planned.
Scottish Labour’s Pauline McNeill MSP also condemned the SNP’s handling of the issue, describing the situation as “intolerable for prison officers and staff.” She said the government had “failed to plan for changes in the prison population” and allowed the problem to escalate. “This crisis has been years in the making,” she added, “and the SNP has failed to get to grips with the root causes.”
With prisons now operating far beyond capacity and safety concerns mounting, the Scottish government faces mounting pressure to find a sustainable solution to the deepening crisis in its penal system.
