Life sentence

Life sentences must be given for murder under the law, but they can also be given for other extremely serious offences such as repeated rape. If a person is sentenced to life imprisonment, the judge must, by law, set a punishment part of the sentence. This is the minimum time the person must spend in prison before they can be considered for release into the community by the Parole Board for Scotland. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the punishment part can be lengthy. To date, the longest punishment part given in Scotland is 37 years. If a person sentenced to life imprisonment is released into the community, they will be on licence for the rest of their life and can be recalled to prison if they breach the terms of their licence. More information is available here.

The most recent data shows that in 2022/23 there were 27 life sentences imposed in Scotland. You can find more information here.