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HM INSPECTORATE OF PRISONS Report on HM Prison Barlinnie

5. PRISONER MANAGEMENT

Reception

5.1 Reception is the first experience a new prisoner will have of the prison, and the conditions in Barlinnie are not good. Having had their identities checked, new admissions are then locked in cubicles. These are essentially cupboards with a bench seat, observation window in the door and no amenities. They are also dirty: with graffiti on the walls and cigarette ends and food remains on the floors and benches. They are universally referred to as "dog-boxes". Individuals will spend varying periods of time - sometimes two to three hours - locked in these cubicles.

5.2 At peak times, it is not uncommon for two prisoners to be located in one cubicle. At times there will be occasions when three prisoners may be held. There is not sufficient room for more than one person to sit down. In common with other prisons in Scotland, over 80% of admissions present with evidence of drug misuse. Many will be in poor physical shape and, having lived chaotically, may have a range of health and hygiene issues. The holding conditions do not meet SPS Operating Standards 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 ¹.

5.3 The level of cleanliness in the reception area generally is poor. This is partially due to the almost uninterrupted flow of people through the area and also the fact that in the main the fixtures and fittings are old. There is a concern that this volume of use may be used as an excuse for the Reception being allowed to be a dirty and untidy area. The Reception Cleaners' rest area could at best be described as untidy and unhygienic. The shower areas are also grubby. Decoration would make a minor cosmetic impact and deep cleaning would improve the low standard of cleanliness. It is recommended that the holding cubicles are discontinued and a decent and proper Reception facility is created.

5.4 Most admissions from court arrive in the late afternoon and evening and so miss the evening meal. It was noted that all admissions prior to being located in the cubicles were given two filled rolls and a cup of tea. How satisfactory it might be to eat these in the cubicles with no provision for a table is questionable, and in any case does not meet SPS Operating Standard 3.6.

5.5 Prisoners who are admitted from court via police cells, or who went from prison in the morning, will normally have received a light lunch at court. From receiving this meal at noon, the next hot meal a prisoner can expect is 24 hours later, since the meal at Reception consists of cold rolls and breakfast is also cold. Prisoners in Reception during normal meal times do not receive the hot meal served in the rest of the prison. Provision should be made for all prisoners to have a hot meal and a table at which to eat it on admission. Current practice does not meet SPS Operating Standards 3.66 and 3.67.

5.6 Despite these poor conditions, staff were clearly making an effort to treat admissions decently. Although prisoners claimed that staff ignored them, observation during inspection revealed that all prisoners were given food prior to being located; requests to use the toilet were dealt with promptly; and staff answered questions when asked.

5.7 A prisoner Listener is available in Reception. Prisoners also receive a one to one interview with a member of staff where, if necessary, the ACT process can be initiated. Basic information is given, although pressure of numbers meant that little beyond routine work could be done for prisoners. There is no particular provision for first offenders, or young people and this should be addressed.

5.8 There is no routine provision to deal with individuals who do not speak English as a first language and there are no notices on display in languages other than English. Staff indicated that normally the Courts alert them to the likely admission of prisoners who do not speak English and that arrangements are made to have an interpreter present. However most were unsure of how to contact an interpreter in practice. The system is unclear and some guidance needs to be given on the issue of interpreters. Standard SPS notices in common foreign languages should also be on display and leaflets be readily available in Reception.

5.9 Following the Reception Interview, admissions go directly to the adjacent health centre for an interview with the nurse and may be referred to a doctor or admitted to the health centre if necessary. There is also a second check on potential self harm at this stage. This is an excellent system, giving good conditions both for medical interviews and allowing admissions time in a communal holding room, and is an example of good practice.

5.10 Unfortunately, from here prisoners are returned to the holding cubicles where they hand over their own clothes and are issued with prison clothing. As mentioned elsewhere in this report these are inadequate. Adjacent staff, who work at elevated desks, and prisoner workers who store and issue clothing, can see into the cubicles: there is no privacy.

5.11 Admissions are offered a shower, then allocated to a Hall.

5.12 Of concern during this whole process was the practice, of the Police, to include among prisoners' property, syringes which were in their possession on arrest. An example was seen of a bloodstained needle in a polythene bag accompanying a prisoner's property. This was in an envelope with other possessions. The dangers of needle -stick injury were obvious. It is understood that this matter had been raised by local management with the Divisional Commander, although it was clear that the issue had not been resolved. It is recommended that management should again raise, with the Chief Constable, the practice of including syringes which were in prisoners' possession on arrest in their personal property bags.

Induction

5.13 At the time of the Inspection, Induction was in the process of being re-organised. It had been allocated to 'A' Hall, but for a variety of reasons, had not been happening regularly and prisoners were therefore disadvantaged. Responsibility had moved from Residential to Prisoner Activities. A First Line Manager and two Officers now manage the process. It provides part of Barlinnie's developing Link Centre for Short Term Prisoner management with Throughcare ( see paragraph 5.26).

5.14 A separate Induction and Risk and Needs Centre has now been created in a former workshop. This provides two classrooms, a large multi-purpose room and staff offices and facilities. Eventually all induction will be carried out in this area, (the recreation area is still being used pending the installation of phones in the Induction Unit). The development of the new centre is a very positive development providing excellent facilities and clearly meets SPS's plan for Short Term Prisoner Sentence Management. It is a bright, spacious and comfortable environment, which all those involved appear to value.

5.15 All prisoners should attend induction on the weekday following their admission. This had not been happening consistently. Induction consists of an individual interview at which any issues requiring follow-up are identified; basic information about the prison is given (supported by an information booklet); and an opportunity to make a phone call is also given. For those prisoners requiring follow-up, there is a second half-day's induction where key internal service providers attend and provide further group or individual interventions.

5.16 It is planned to develop a further one-day induction programme including Health and Safety Awareness and provide a one-to-one interview prior to allocation to work. Currently the First Line Manager allocates individuals to available work.

5.17 Of particular concern is the fact that prisoners routinely have to wait until the following day before being allowed a telephone call. While this affects all prisoners, it was unfortunate that young remands and first offenders had to wait until the following day before being able to contact their family . The current system does not meet SPS Operating Standard 3.5. Consideration should be given to making an initial telephone call available either during Reception or on admission to the Halls.

5.18 There is no provision for Induction at the weekend. Prisoners admitted on a Friday or Saturday will not systematically receive either a telephone call or relevant information. A procedure should be put in place for the minimum induction requirements to be met at the weekend.

5.19 While a one to one interview with each admission is backed up with a detailed information booklet about routines and entitlements, it is doubtful how effective this is, either for those who cannot read, or for those for whom English is not a first Language. The needs of first offenders are not being met either. The induction needs of those who cannot read, non-English speakers and first offenders should be met.

Sentence Management

5.20 Delivering sentence management for Long Term prisoners at Barlinnie has been difficult. Although not particularly geared to Long Term prisoners, Barlinnie held 151 LTP's on the first day of inspection: this is not an unusual occurrence. There had been an expectation that LTPs would not stay in Barlinnie long enough to require the assessments and subsequent planning, but that has not proved to be the case. A lack of LTP spaces elsewhere, for a variety of reasons, has led to a significant backlog of LTPs at Barlinnie.

5.21 Responsibility for the Sentence Management Scheme lay with residential staff in the Halls. Previously, the Scheme was not operating in a consistent manner, but steps have now been taken to address this. However, the current structure for managing the Scheme is still potentially confusing. Initial assessments are done by Induction Staff from Prisoner Activities. Responsibility for administration and record keeping lies within the Administration function who in turn alert Activities when assessments are due. They in turn task the Residential Halls with carrying out the actual contacts. Risk and Needs Assessment staff are employed in the Halls. There has however been difficulty in making sure staff are available do this work. It may be that such a division of partial authority may mean that there is no overall ownership of the sentence management process at Barlinnie.

5.22 Slippage in the past has led to a considerable backlog of work on those admitted in the last 18 months:

5.23 The position is being retrieved. In March the following were completed:

15 of 28 initial interviews
12 of 18 Psychometrics
13 of 14 PBRS
3 of 3 RNAs

5.24 As might be expected in these circumstances, the quality of the sentence management files themselves was very variable. SPS Operating Standards 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.7, 2.8 and 2.9 are not being met.

5.25 Overall, consideration should be given to reviewing the Sentence Management structure. Adequate resources should be provided to allow it to take place consistently and within SPS Guidelines. An action plan should also be developed to address the backlog of work which has built up.

Throughcare

5.26 The Employability Centre at Barlinnie provides one half of the Link Centre ( see also paragraph 5.13). Staffing comprises a First Line Manager and two Officers. Also located within the Link Centre are three staff from Jobcentreplus and one Careers Advisor. The Jobcentreplus and Careers staff on site spend much of their time on individual referrals, both post admission and prior to release. Adjacent to the Link Centre is a newly created hairdressing training and work party.

5.27 The Centre itself has been created from an unused workshop, and while the building is of poor quality, some imaginative work has created a bright and welcoming environment. Staff convey a sense of purpose and enthusiasm and a range of partnership working is evident.

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