People convicted of a crime could be given the right to choose an electronic tag over prison and have their movements tracked by satellite, the First Minister has said.
He also reaffirmed his belief that tagged convicts and others serving community sentences should have a vote in the independence referendum but that those in prison should not.
The Scottish Government will shortly consult on proposals to fit GPS trackers on community convicts, Alex Salmond told MSPs at First Minister’s Questions.
The Government is open to considering a relatively cheap Swedish-style system that lets people apply for house arrest with a tag instead of a jail sentence.
SNP MSP Christine Grahame, Holyrood Justice Committee convener, said: “In Sweden, anyone given six months or less can apply to be tagged in their home under house arrest while being monitored. Any breach would mean a return to jail.
“Reoffending fell to 12%. The cost to the taxpayer is £40 a day and not the £165 a day for a prison place.”
Mr Salmond said: “We are always happy to learn about practices in other jurisdictions.
Last week the Government’s support team chaired an event at Strathclyde University which heard from the head of the Swedish probation service, and he outlined how their system operates.”