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Are we sending too many people to prison?

The outgoing head of the Scottish Prison Service says more sentences should be carried out in the community. Have you been a victim of crime and would you be comfortable with the culprit doing their sentence in the community rather than being jailed? Perhaps you've been in prison: are community sentences really a soft option? The Tories say they are and would rather see longer sentences. Last month there were 7,378 people in jail - a new high despite 15 years of falling crime rates. So is it time to admit that prison doesn't work or does it just confirm the important role they play in keeping criminals off our streets?

Gary Robertson takes your calls, texts and emails.