 Figures show 80% of jail terms were for six months or less |
The number of people released on bail by Scotland's courts has increased by more than 40% since 2001, according to Scottish Executive figures. About 56,900 bail orders were granted in the year 2005/06 - an increase of 7% on the previous 12 months.
Of 176,600 offences where a charge was proved, 25,600 (14%) were committed by offenders already on bail.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said she shared the public's concerns over abuse of the bail system.
The figures show there were a total of 128,400 convictions in 2005/06, 5% less than in the previous year.
Fewer offenders received community sentences - such as probation orders and community service orders - last year than in 2004/05.
More than 80% of jail terms were for six months or less in 2005/06.
The total number of custodial sentences was slightly less than 16,000 - a drop of 4% from the previous year.
Criminal cases
The figures showed that the courts dealt with criminal cases involving 142,200 people last year - down 5% from the previous year and 19% below the total of 174,500 which were recorded in 1996/97.
Last year's cases resulted in 128,400 guilty convictions - also 5% lower than 2004/05.
That meant that 89% of all people brought to court were convicted of at least one offence.
Last year there was a 4% rise in the number of crimes of indecency, a 3% increase in common assault convictions and a rise of 1% in convictions for breach of the peace.
But there was a 14% drop in the number of convictions for non-sexual violent crimes, an 11% fall in the number guilty of dishonesty, a 6% drop in motoring convictions and a 4% decrease for fire-raising and vandalism.
Individual offenders
Almost two thirds of those who were guilty were given a fine or compensation order as their main penalty, with this applying in 63% of convictions.
And the average fine handed out to individual offenders last year was �212, with compensation orders averaging �281.
Ms Jamieson said reforms due to come into force in December would toughen up the bail process.
"While it is for the courts to make individual bail decisions depending on the circumstances of each case, ministers have been determined to improve the overall framework within which these decisions are made," she said.
 |  It's time for a credible and coherent prison policy that locks up dangerous offenders and deals with petty offenders in the community |
SNP justice spokesman Kenny MacAskill hit out at the figures.
He said: "It's time for a credible and coherent prison policy that locks up dangerous offenders and deals with petty offenders in the community."
Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie said bail was given to people "virtually gift-wrapped".
She said: "Crime and offences are on the increase and we are losing the war against criminals and drugs."
The figures also showed that there were a total of 545,900 penalty charge notices for parking infringements handed out last year in the council areas that operate civil penalty schemes - Aberdeen City, City of Edinburgh, Dundee City, Glasgow City, Perth and Kinross and South Lanarkshire.
Money raised from these and from towing away illegally parked cars raised �16.9m in 2005/06, compared to �14.4m the previous year.
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