Criminals in West Dunbartonshire are being given community-based punishments instead of prison at a higher rate than almost anywhere else in Scotland, new research has found.

New statistics on the use of community payback orders (CPOs) found the area ranked well above the Scottish average for the rate of reports prepared and CPOs imposed.

In 2017-2018, West Dunbartonshire had the fourth highest rate for criminal justice social work reports submitted, at 97.1 per 10,000 people.

And they came third for CPOs imposed with 428, or a rate of 67.2 per 10,000.

East Ayrshire was highest at 73.7, with Glasgow at 59.4 and the Scottish average down at 46.1.

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West Dunbartonshire also has the highest rates for imposing drug treatment and testing orders (DTTO). Though there were only 26 given by sheriffs in the year, that worked out as a rate of 4.1 per 10,000, against a Scottish average of 1.5.

Earlier this month, justice secretary Humza Yousaf, announced he would bring forward plans to reduce Scotland’s prison sentences. There is a current presumption against jail for sentences of three months or less, and that will increase to 12.

Nationally there were 17,800 CPOs imposed in 2017/18, with more than 30 per cent not completed. The completion rate for DTTOs was 40 per cent, the lowest in seven years.

There were not local figures available.

Scott Adair, secretary of the Faculty of Solicitors of Dunbartonshire, said the impending presumption against jail sentences of 12 months or less might mean West Dunbartonshire is already ready for the change given the high rate of CPOs.

He said: “If we are up and running with a lot of CPOs, that’s probably a good thing.

“I’m not sure why we would be so high, but perhaps sheriffs see that’s the way forward.

“I think the sheriffs are willing to give everyone an opportunity to do something, rather than send them to jail.

“I know clients who have been on CPOs and committed further offending, but also ones who ultimately don’t. Some you never hear from again, and you have to assume they completed the CPO successfully.”

West Dunbartonshire Council prepares the social work reports and runs the supervision and unpaid work elements of CPOs.

A spokeswoman said: “Criminal justice social work services provide assessments to assist courts in sentencing, as well as supervising individuals subject to community-based sentences.

“We work with colleagues across the health and social care partnership, council and partner agencies to support individuals to tackle issues that contributed to their offending and to make more positive choices to support better outcomes in the future.”