LABOUR'S CRACKDOWN ON DRUG DEALERS

DRUG dealers are to be denied early release from prison too soon before
they complete their sentences under a Labour crime offensive designed to
give extra protection to communities scarred by crime and addiction.

In a move that aims to bolster his credentials for being tough on crime,
Jack McConnell plans to scrap rules which allow dealers sentenced to four
years or more to be considered for parole after serving half their sentences.

The current system also ensures they are automatically released once they
have served two-thirds of their time behind bars. The existing rules have
given rise to concern all over Scotland that too many criminals are being
freed to reoffend and inflict misery after spending as little as two years
in jail.

But the promise of a tougher approach to drug dealers, which follows
complaints from all over the country, were greeted with caution by prison
officers and legal insiders who fear it could lead to more unrest and
violence in Scottish jails.

A source close to McConnell confirmed that Labour's Scottish parliament
election manifesto, due out in a fortnight, will contain a promise to scrap
the current system "specifically for drug dealers so they spend more time
in prison".

The source said: "He wants tougher parole and remission conditions for drug
dealers. It is an issue that comes up in every community we visit in
Scotland, deprived or affluent."

McConnell added: "Drugs ruin people's lives and there are far too many
dealers who, when they are locked up, not only continue their business from
within prison walls but when they leave prison go back to their old
business, and it is time we took a tougher line on that."

It is believed in future parole boards will need to be persuaded offenders
have changed their ways and no longer pose a risk before parole is permitted.

Any convicted dealers found to be maintaining connections with the drug
trade while in prison would be denied the right to early release.

Another Labour insider added: "The point is we want much tougher sentences
for dealing. There is a two-pronged approach: much more treatment and
rehabilitation for drug users, but tougher sentences for dealers and making
sure they serve more of their time. And we are going to come down like a
ton of bricks on dealers who sell drugs to kids."

But the plans, which would require changing the Prisoners and Criminal
Proceedings (Scotland) Act, worry staff charged with maintaining order in
Scotland's prisons.

Derek Turner, the assistant Scottish secretary of the Prison Officers
Association, said: "These proposals carry with them the danger of causing
more unrest in Scottish jails if the rules end up being too rigorous. I
would hope any new plans would be drawn up in close co-operation with the
Scottish Prison Service.

"I believe we already have a pretty rigorous system of parole in operation.
If it became too difficult to obtain parole then they could create a
faction of dissident prisoners who will see no incentive in playing by the
rules and addressing their offending behaviour.

"There must be a realistic set of achievable goals for the prisoner so that
we can work to stop them from reoffending."

A judicial insider added: "This is a bad idea. It might sound great in a
soundbite but it is pretty poor law. In reality it can be difficult for a
court to assess who is the supplier and who is the victim in a drugs case.

"Is the supplier only the Mr Big who imports millions of pounds of crack
cocaine, or the person who carries a bag without even knowing what's in it?
They will both be charged with concern to supply drugs. Broad-brush schemes
don't really work."

A spokeswoman for the Law Society of Scotland added: "We would wish to see
the proposals in more detail. But they would need extensive consultation
from the Scottish police forces, social services agencies, the prison
service and other organisations to examine whether they are in the
interests of justice and the interests of society."

Bill Aitken, the deputy Scottish Tory justice spokesman, claimed Labour had
been forced to admit its previous policies were not working.

He said: "Not since Saul made his momentous journey to Damascus can there
have been such a dramatic U-turn. The policy is very sensible because it is
a commonsense Tory policy and not a Labour policy. "However, I have my
doubts whether these proposals will come to anything. Labour is good at
talking tough on crime without delivering."

Michael Matheson, the SNP's deputy justice spokesman, accused Labour of
failing to tackle drug crime despite six years in power. He said: "It's all
very well talking. The key is having enough police officers to tackle the
drugs menace. This Executive has failed to do that. That is why we are
pledging to recruit 1,000 extra police officers to tackle crime."

A spokesman for the Scottish Liberal Democrats said: "We are interested in
any ideas which will make a difference in the fight against drug crime. But
the real solution is to support the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency in its
work to cut off the supply of drugs, and rehabilitation to reduce the
demand for drugs."