McConnell attacked on reoffending

The exchanges took place during First Minister's Questions

First Minister Jack McConnell has come under fire over the Scottish Executive's record on crime.

Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie said the criminal justice system was collapsing "under his watch".

Her comments came after new figures showed an increase in reoffending rates and a report revealed the extent of overcrowding in prisons.

Mr McConnell insisted that recorded crime was going down and accused the Tories of scaremongering.

Speaking during First Minister's Questions, Ms Goldie claimed the "shocking" reoffending rate had left Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson "running around with her tail between her legs".

She referred to the case of Robert Turner who was jailed for life on Wednesday for murdering father-of-two Marc Lancashire while out on bail for another violent crime.

Behind bars

Ms Goldie said: "That man is dead because the Scottish justice system failed him."

She argued the problem was caused by inadequate rehabilitation for prisoners and weak sentencing.

To combat that she urged Mr McConnell to adopt the Tory policy of "three strikes and you're out" - which would mean anyone sentenced to a third jail term would automatically spend extra time behind bars.

Mr McConnell said that the reoffending figures were "a shame on Scotland".

Annabel Goldie called for a 'three strikes and you're out' policy

But he blamed "the years and year and years of inactivity" by the previous Tory government for the problem.

And he said Labour in Scotland had introduced new rehabilitation programmes, investment of more than £1m a week in prisons, measures to speed up the courts system and an increase in the number of police officers.

Mr McConnell said there were 20,000 fewer crimes being recorded in Scotland each year.

"It is these priorities, cutting crime, catching those responsible and ensuring that they do not reoffend, that are the priorities of this government," he said.

However, Ms Goldie insisted that the "chilling facts" were that since 1999 cases of rape and attempted rape, handling of offensive weapons, assault, drugs crimes, fire raising and vandalism were all up.

She added that the number of people who were recalled to prison after being released under supervision or on licence was up by a "staggering" 300%.