This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Slopping out continues at Polmont
01/07/2005
Slopping out still happens in Polmont although a new
building project is well underway, according to a report
published today
The latest report from the Chief Inspector of Prisons,
Dr Andrew McLellan, describes a follow up inspection in
March 2005.
The inspection of Polmont was a follow up inspection
with a focus on conditions in which prisoners live and on
the way prisoners are treated.
Dr McLellan notes that:
- A new build project is now well
underway, with the first of two activities buildings
due for completion in the summer of 2005
- The very bad conditions in Nevis
Hall identified in last year's report have been
addressed and the hall now houses an innovative Drug
Prevention Centre
- The Young Offenders Institution
(YOI) is much better at making sure staff are available
to escort young adults to where they should be, such as
the gym or education programmes, for example.
However, he also points out that:
- Arrangements for access to
sanitation and hygiene in Argyll and Spey Halls are
bad, although they are better than they were
- There are still insufficient work
places for the convicted population and young adults
spend too long locked up in their cells
- Children under the age of 16 are
still being held in Polmont
- The portions of food are no
bigger than before.
Dr McLellan said:
"Though arrangements for slopping out have improved at
Polmont, no amount of improvement can make it acceptable.
Slopping out is always bad and it is particularly bad that
it happens in a hall which holds prisoners on remand and it
is very upsetting that the only remand prisoners who are
regularly slopping out are under 21 years of age.
"However, real improvements have been made in the
arrangements for slopping out since the last report. Among
them and most importantly, at the time of inspection no
prisoner who was slopping out was sharing a cell.
"Changes in Nevis Hall are encouraging. Last year's
report identified the atmosphere in Nevis Hall as "tense
and oppressive". That has changed. There is now a relaxed
atmosphere within a redecorated hall. Most significantly,
Nevis Hall now leads an innovative new approach to tackling
addictions, which has been welcomed by both staff and
prisoners.
"A major building project is taking place. Work has
begun to build the first of two new buildings. It is hoped
that this may be completed by late summer of 2005 and will
house regime facilities including work and education
units.
"It is not possible to report any improvement in three
serious matters which caused concern in the report of the
last inspection.
"Firstly, the portions of food are no bigger than
before, despite an attempt having been made to increase
them. Serving larger helpings caused such an increase in
cost that it had to be abandoned.
"Secondly, there is not enough work for the number of
young adults in Polmont.
"And thirdly, children under the age of 16 are still
being held in Polmont. Eleven were held there within the
last year, one of them for a period of 130 days. The U.N.
Convention on the Rights of the Child states that "In all
actions concerning children …. the best interests of the
child shall be a primary consideration." And that
imprisonment of a child "shall be used only as a measure of
last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of
time."
Scotland's prisons are subject to regular inspection. A
full inspection normally takes place every three years and
examines all aspects of the establishment. Follow up
inspections are carried out in years where a full
inspection does not take place and these examine points of
note raised in previous inspections, examine significant
changes since then, and explore issues arising from the
establishment's own assessment of itself.
Copies of Reports will be available on the
Inspectorate's website:
www.scotland.gov.uk/hmip.