By Steve Bargeton, political editor

ALMOST HALF the offenders given community punishments break the law again within two years, new figures have revealed.

Statistics on re-offending issued yesterday show that drug addicts sentenced to a compulsory drug treatment and testing order have an 88% chance of offending again.

Criminals put on tagging have a 71% chance of coming back to court within two years and those given probation or community service have a 42% reconviction rate.

However, the statistics, which date back to 2005, compare favourably with the 61% of prisoners—almost two-thirds—released from jail who are back inside within two years.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said the figures underlined the need to cut the jail population and provide more community-based sentences.

“These figures provide further evidence that we must do more to address the cycle of re-offending we have inherited,” he said.

“Just under three-quarters of people released from prison sentences of six months or less are reconvicted within two years, but for those given non-custodial sentences such as community service orders the rate is 42%.

“Tough community pen-alties can help an offender address underlying problems, improve employment prospects and build a sense of routine and self-esteem and lead to a future free from offending.

“Low level offenders should be paying back the harm they have caused to communities by the sweat of their brow. Taxpayers shouldn’t foot the bill for free bed and board and three square meals.”

“We will not be a soft touch. We expect violent, sexual, and serious and organised criminals to be punished and the public protected. Those who do offend will face the consequences of their actions—and prison will still be a major part of that.”

The Scottish Tories were horrified.

“These figures are appalling and the previous administration should be ashamed. There has been absolutely no improvement in almost a decade,” said justice spokesman Bill Aitken.

“We are not rehabilitating criminals successfully when they are behind bars and we are failing to get them off the conveyor belt of crime.

“The first duty of government is to protect society from those who seek to destroy it. We know nearly half of those given non-custodial sentences go on to re-offend, proving that community sentencing isn’t working.

“Society is only fully protected from re-offending while the offender is in jail but in the SNP’s soft-touch Scotland that doesn’t happen.

“I want a clear message that society will not tolerate repeated, serious offending such as mugging, robbing, rape, assault and burglary.”