Prison report highlights overcrowding problem

Conditions improving, but rise in numbers removing benefits, says inspector

News, 22 November 2007

Overcrowding and the relentless rise in the numbers in prisons threatens the work that has been done to improve the living conditions in Scotland's prisons, according to the annual report of the Chief Inspector of Prisons.

The report states that many prisoners are locked in their cells all day with nothing to do and no access to training to develop a skill to help with employment on release. It warns that if prisoners leave prison with no more learning or skills than they had when they came in, their chances of employment are low and the chance of their reoffending high.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Dr Andrew McLellan said: "Inspection report after inspection report tells the same grim story about access to work and education. In nearly every prison many prisoners are not working.

"When they are not working they are usually locked in their cells. This means no access to training to develop a skill to help with employment on release. While the quality of learning offered is high, access to that learning is limited.

Risk of reoffending

"If prisoners leave prison with no more learning or skills than they had when they came in their chances of employment are low, and their chances of reoffending are high."

The report highlights a number of other issues including:

the continuing imprisonment of children;
the success of Barlinnie's First Night Centre where all new prisoners are inducted by trained prison staff, giving staff a chance to identify those most at risk of taking their own lives;
reductions in both the number of suicides in prisons, and violence between prisoners;
the continuing practice of handcuffing female prisoners who are pregnant almost until the moment of birth;
the success of the Routes Out of Prison project, which uses ex-prisoners to work with current prisoners both in prison and in the community on release.

Dr McLellan condemned the continuing practice of holding children under 16 in prison.

He said: "Two years ago I expressed my shock and anger at the number of children under the age of 16 held in Scottish Prisons and Young Offenders' Institutions. I raised the issue again last year. This year the number has increased. I repeat, prison is no place for a child."

Resource implications

The number of prisoners with mental health and drug problems also seems to be increasing, with the provision of suitable treatments taking up enormous amounts of time and effort for doctors and nurses working in prisons.

A positive development noted by Dr McLellan was the reduction in violence and confrontation.

He said: "The picture of ceaseless confrontation between prison staff and prisoners and among prisoners in the 1970s and 1980s is unrecognisable in a Scottish prison today. Violence from a prisoner towards a prisoner has steadily reduced and violence from a prison officer towards a prisoner is almost unheard of.

"Scottish prisons have also been transformed in other ways. In the last four years alone the improvement in living conditions is remarkable. This is the result of the new building programme which has already produced new residential halls at Polmont, Edinburgh, Glenochil, the Open Estate and Cornton Vale.

"Barlinnie has been completely refurbished and new accommodation is about to be opened at Perth. The Scottish Prison Service deserve credit for this. The irony of all this is that the advantages of these new halls are always threatened by overcrowding: far too many prisoners are crammed into the new halls.

"Another change is that slopping out has now ended in all Scottish Prisons, except in Peterhead where prisoners still use chemical toilets."

Dr McLellan however cautioned that the Scotland into which prisoners are released remained the Scotland from which they were convicted. "There are so many people in prison who have been defeated by life. Of course there are many people in prison who have committed terrible crimes, crimes of violence, crimes against women, crimes against children.

"But it is painfully true that in any prison there are many who have drifted into a life of crime because they have not managed to do anything better. Prison serves as the gathering place for those whose misfortune and bad choices send them there because there is no better place for them to go."