Nearly 60 criminals let out early in Scotland under an emergency release programme have already reoffended and have been jailed again.Some 477 inmates were released over the summer to tackle overcrowding – but 57 have committed crimes again and are back behind bars, with Scottish First Minister John Swinney admitting the scheme had not “solved the situation”.The decision was made amid a surge in prison population numbers, which Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance said had left the country’s jails at “critical risk”.Those let out had been so under stringent terms – only inmates serving sub-four-year sentences who had 180 or fewer days left to serve were considered for release.Inmates on life sentences, or locked up for sexual, domestic abuse or terror-based offences, had been automatically excluded from the scheme – and prison governors were able to veto the release of any offenders deemed an “immediate risk” to specific individuals or groups.In September, Swinney had told the Scottish Parliament: “We still face a serious situation, and I fully expect the justice secretary to have to come back to Parliament to brief Parliament about the current situation.”Because although the release of 477 prisoners during June and July as part of the early release scheme has helped, it has not solved the situation.”I suspect that will come back to Parliament in due course and we are considering the options that are available there.”A Scottish Prison Service (SPS) spokesman said: “We have been open and transparent throughout, publishing the number of individuals released at each stage, followed by a series of breakdowns.”The latest publication on returns to custody continues this approach.”More to follow… GB News Read More