The Scottish Government has announced it wants to cut the prison population by sentencing more minor offenders to community service or probation orders.
Plans to cut Scotland's prison population by handing community sentences to minor offenders have been announced by ministers.
Levels of reoffending among those jailed for less than six months are almost double the rate for those given non-custodial sentences.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said short jail terms often failed to tackle criminal behaviour.
It is hoped that emptying prisons of minor offenders will allow staff to do better work with serious criminals.
Reoffending levels for those jailed for less than six months are almost double the rates for those handed non-custodial sentences.
But minor offenders will still pay for their crimes, the government said.
The Tories claimed SNP ministers were more interested in emptying prisons.
The announcement is to be made by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill later on Tuesday.
The government stressed that non-jail penalties would be tough, while offering the chance for offenders to turn their lives around.
Mr MacAskill hopes the move will reduce reoffending by ending the cycle of prisoners being released from short jail sentences before being locked up again for another minor crime while offering no restitution to the community.
Community sentencing does have a part to play in our justice system but they must never be the easy option in the criminals' minds Bill AitkenTory justice spokesman
I want to see community penalties which are high quality, effective, immediate, visible, flexible and relevant Kenny MacAskillJustice secretary
"Wherever possible I believe the public want to see offenders engage in worthwhile activities and give something meaningful back to the community for the misery and disruption they have caused," said Mr MacAskill.
"Where someone can be made to pay back for the wrong they have done, that should be the norm."
The justice secretary said he expected to see an increase in community sentences, saying it would allow prison staff to concentrate more on working with serious and dangerous offenders serving jail sentences.
About 70% of those jailed receive sentences of six months or less - but 75% of them reoffend within two years.
About 70% of those jailed receive sentences of six months or less - but 75% of them reoffend within two years.
In comparison, 39% of offenders receiving community sentences offend again.
In comparison, 39% of offenders receiving community sentences offend again.
Mr MacAskill believes community sentences must be tougher to improve public confidence in them. He is likely to do this by allowing local people to be consulted on the type of work offenders carry out in their area.
He hopes that reducing the number of people given short custodial sentences will reduce both crime and reoffending rates.
Mr MacAskill said: "We cannot sustain a regime where 70% of sentenced offenders admitted to prison each year - some 14,000 receptions - are offenders getting sentences of six months or less.
"Not 14,000 separate individuals but the same offenders caught in the seemingly endless cycle of reoffending. That is not the way forward for a modern, dynamic country.
"The prison service's ability to work with serious offenders to reduce their risk is being compromised by having to deal with the churn created by large numbers of short sentences."
Electronic tagging
Electronic tagging
The justice secretary said it was time to get "more sophisticated" about crime and punishment than simply looking at what is regarded as being "tough" and "soft", and instead look at what measures are successful in cutting crime.
Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken said prisons provided an ideal opportunity to tackle offending behaviour.
"A short custodial sentence for a minor offence, giving the offender no opportunity to pay something back for the wrong they have done, is not a smart sentence. Minor offenders should have to right their wrongs by doing something for the community," he added.
"Community sentencing does have a part to play in our justice system but they must never be the easy option in the criminals' minds," he said.
"I want to see community penalties which are high quality, effective, immediate, visible, flexible and relevant. Penalties that provide constructive payback that really benefits local communities, not punishing them again through the expense of short prison sentences that fail to rehabilitate."
"Suspicion persists that the SNP will dress up changes to community sentencing, which may well include some sensible proposals, as tough alternatives when the truth is the SNP just want to empty our prisons."
The main community penalties in Scotland are community service and probation. Other options include restriction of liberty orders (electronic tagging) and drug treatment and testing.
As well as community service and probation, other non-custodial penalties in Scotland include electronic tagging and drug treatment and testing orders.
Their use by the courts has increased in recent years, but Scotland still has a relatively high rate of imprisonment, at 141 per 100,000 population, compared to 66 in Norway, 70 in Denmark but 754 in the US. In England, the rate is 144 per 100,000.
Although their use by the courts has been increasing, Scotland still has a relatively high rate of imprisonment, at 141 per 100,000 population, compared with 66 in Norway and 70 in Denmark.
The government's plan, outlined in an official report, was welcomed by the Association of Directors of Social Work in Scotland.
