Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said he wanted to abolish “unruly certificates”, which mean children appearing on a charge before a criminal court can be remanded in prison custody due to their “unruly” character or behaviour.
MacAskill decided to act after chief inspector of prisons for Scotland, Andrew McLellan, raised concerns about the detention of children in prison facilities.
MacAskill said: "I don't believe that in the long run Scotland will be well served by jailing children. Lock up a youth alongside hardened criminals, and there's a risk you'll lock them into a life of crime. So I agree with the chief inspector and others that prison is no place for children.”
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