Academic calls for reduced sentences for drug free prisoners

A drug addiction expert has said prisoners should have their sentences cut if they can prove they are clean, The Scotsman reports.

Professor Neil McKeganey, director of the Centre for Drug Misuse at the University of Glasgow said a reward scheme could curb drug abuse in prisons.

The suggestion comes as new figures show Scottish inmates are failing drugs tests at a rate of over five times a day.

Professor McKeganey said that testing prisoners “would play an important part in creating a zero tolerance policy and those who demonstrate they are drug free could be rewarded with shorter sentences”.

Tom Fox, from the Scottish Prison Service, said certain prisoners were tested to see if they could be moved to lower security jails.