The contrasting realities of life as the Daily Mail sees it in England and Scotland, are inadvertently exposed today.
Nothing could more quickly confirm that there are no plans in Scotland to release violent prisoners early than the Daily Mail‘s failure to replicate the bad news for down south, up here. There is, of course, not a sniff of the phenomenon in Scotland.
Try searching for ‘Scotland release violent prisoners early‘ and get only the same stories about England.
What could explain this, given the regular stories in Scotland of over-crowded prisons, pushed into a compliant media by the opposition parties?
Two reasons.
First, it’s not a real risk because, though full, there are no projections of a further increase in Scotland’s prison population.
Second, this:
Crime has plummeted in Scotland since the prison estate was built, while in the same period in England and Wales, it has soared.
There are far fewer criminals, far fewer violent criminals in Scotland, than there were only 20 years ago. Unless the judges have lost the plot, the prison population must fall.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Too many people, who are not a threat to the personal safety of others are being sent to prison. We need to employ more staff to undertake the supervision of non custodial sentences. Some convicts could continue their employment and others could be required to undertake some education and training to enable them to do full time work. There needs to be greater support to enable the many convicts who have problems with drink and drugs to be able to manage their addictions.
Of course, one of the main reasons these things do not happen is because of rags like the Daily Mail and chancer politicians who immediately shout ‘soft on crime’ at any attempt at doing something more constructive.
The misanthropic hatred that pours out of the media, daily, has a baleful effect on society. It speaks volumes about the ugly mentality of many media people.
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The juxtaposition of The Daily Heil frontpages is clear evidence of their obsession with denigrating the Scottish Government and all things SNP .
Similarly the Scottish (sic ) Daily Express has a very skewed message if you live in Scotland . At times they condemn the Scottish Government /SNP in their Scottish editions while praising the Tories for the same stance in their English Headlines .
Hypocrisy writ large !
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There is no SCOTTISH Daily Mail ……there is but ONE Daily Mail and it, as a newspaper, only supports the Tories in the UK……if however there is any #TORYBAD stories in England that they, at times, may be compelled to report upon as a newspaper then as sure as night follows day they will then always ensure that they find (concoct) a #SNPBAD story to headline in their Scottish (INO) edition……..surely if their concern in England is one that focuses , as a headline, upon the early release of violent prisoners in England, then their Scottish (INO) edition should also reflect what the position is in Scotland re this matter and thus that too should be their headline in Scotland…..the fact that they do NOT do this speaks volumes……alas there are still some in Scotland who buy this rag for reasons I cannot fathom other than they perhaps are ones who are easily persuaded by fake news or are cut from the same cloth as the paper THEY prefer to buy (into) as a ‘reader’………
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The fact that these right wing rags use the name of Scotland is just so indicative of the colonial BritNat state…even saw a company other day when I was looking up mining in Scotland…and they use the name Scotland but are registered in London, and they are a charity registered in Eng/Wales and also Scotland. Also, along with Birmingham, Cleveland and other ‘regions’ of England, Scotland is a ‘region’ far as the main parent are concerned, a mining company, a charity based in London.
Scotland is not considered a country and mostly not even a nation, it’s being subsumed into England, how scary.
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The UK has the highest prison population in Europe. The most unequal place. Many should be in proper rehab. Less costly and more effective.£50million a year over five years funding. There is a link between drink/drug consumption and crime.
Too many neurodiverse people are in prison. With diagnosis and proper support.
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