 Critics are concerned about letting sex offenders out of Peterhead |
Some of Scotland's most serious sex offenders at Peterhead prison are to be allowed escorted home visits for the first time. The move is part of a plan to reduce reoffending rates for sex crimes.
It has been ordered by the governor of the jail, which houses 300 inmates, including some of Scotland's most renowned rapists and paedophiles.
A timescale for the proposals is still subject to talks between the prison and Aberdeenshire Council.
Nearly all Peterhead's prisoners will eventually be released back into the community.
 |  What the governor has suggested, and what we're looking at, is a scheme whereby prisoners can be eligible for special escorted leave  |
An escorted leave programme currently operates at prisons in Edinburgh and Greenock.
The prison's governor, Ian Gunn, wants to see changes to the way offenders are prepared for release.
He argues criminals re-introduced into society before the end of their jail term are less likely to reoffend in future.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Prison Service said: "When a prisoner comes up to the end of his sentence, the door opens and out he goes.
'Wholehearted support'
"What the governor has suggested, and what we're looking at, is a scheme whereby prisoners can be eligible for special escorted leave.
"This is something we wholeheartedly support."
She added that the scheme will only be open to long-term prisoners and they will be allowed to go to their home address under escort by officers at all times.
After risk assessment they will then be allowed to progress to open prisons.
Inmates will be allowed out for work placements and given short visits to their homes and shopping centres.
They will be escorted by private security guards, from the controversial firm Reliance.
 Reliance officers will keep prisoners under constant escort |
The company came under the spotlight after a number of prisoners were released in error when it began a contract to provide prisoner escort services in the west of Scotland in April.
The concept has been branded a public health risk by critics.
Aberdeenshire councillor Sam Coull has called for a 30-mile exclusion zone preventing sex-offenders settling in Peterhead on their release.
Mr Coull has claimed to have amassed anecdotal evidence and complaints from residents about former inmates who settle there because family members have moved to the area to be close to their partners.
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