The following table based on a parliamentary question by the Lib Dems, shows the prison population on 18th February 2019, disaggregated by ethnicity:
https://www.parliament.scot/S5ChamberOffice/WA20190301.pdf
This table shows the population of Scotland in 2001 and 2011 also disaggregated by ethnicity:
The percentage of the ‘white’ population, in and out of prison, is almost identical at 96% and 96.02%. The ‘Asian’ population is slightly under-represented at only 2% of those in prison and 2.66% of those in the general population. The ‘Black’ population is slightly over-represented at only 0.78% of the population but 1% of those in prison. Mind you those ‘others’ are clearly a bad bunch, 5 times more likely to be in prison than they should be?
The situation in England & Wales and, of course, the USA, is quite different:
‘Black people living in England and Wales are statistically more likely to be in prison than those living in the US, according to a report by the Labour MP David Lammy. Black people make up 3 per cent of the general population and 12 per cent of the prison population in England and Wales compared to 13 per cent and 35 per cent respectively, in the US, said the report on racial discrimination in the British justice system.’
I can’t think how the Lib Dems with even Reptilian Scotland’s assistance will make much of this.
BAME people in Scotland denied fair share of prison cells?
Talking-up Scotland 