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Listen
3. SAFETY
Outcome
Appropriate steps are taken to ensure that individual prisoners are protected from harm by themselves and others.
3.1 The prison is safe; levels of serious violence are low; there have been no escapes since the last inspection; and induction is comprehensive.
Escapes, Absconds and Physical Security
3.2 There have been no escapes since the last inspection. The prison has now been fully re-built and there is both a perimeter wall and inner fence.
Violence
3.3 Prisoners regularly said that they felt safe. There were 12 serious prisoner-on-prisoner assaults in 2007 and 10 in 2008. There were 55 minor assaults in 2007 and 73 in 2008. These need to be viewed in the context of record levels of overcrowding in 2008.
3.4 The prison has had a police liaison officer in post for one year. This has greatly improved the flow of information about prisoner rivalry.
Supervision Levels
3.5 Each residential unit manager chairs the supervision review board for their own area. Review boards are held on a weekly basis for short-term prisoners and on a monthly basis for long-term prisoners. The board consists of the unit manager and a first line manager. The prisoner is invited to present his case.
3.6 On average 15 cases are considered each week and the reasons for decisions are given to the prisoner in writing. The policy states that reviews should take place at least annually. In Edinburgh, short-term prisoners are generally reviewed more often than that.
Escort Handover Procedures
3.7 There is good informal communication between the prison and the escort provider. Escort staff communicate appropriately with prisoners and the searching is thorough and dignified.
3.8 All prisoners interviewed were given prior notice of their journey and destination. The vehicles inspected had no hygiene packs. Not all had been cleaned or were carrying water.
3.9 All vehicles carried a tape of a safety notice. None of the prisoners interviewed had heard the message prior to the journey despite the Prisoner Escort Record ( PER) indicating that it had been played. The message itself is brief and inappropriate. There is no reassurance for prisoners about what may happen in an emergency. The message should be more appropriate and made available to all prisoners in a format they understand.
3.10 The information contained in Prisoner Escort Records is good.
Admission Procedures
3.11 The reception is a very well-appointed purpose built area. There are no cubicles. When prisoners are first admitted they are placed in one of three communal holding rooms depending on their status. One room is for mainstream new admissions, one for returns and one for protection prisoners.
3.12 The admission holding room has a television and a notice board with good quality information in several languages. There is also a stand-alone computer which holds admission information, but is very rarely switched on. More effective use should be made of this.
3.13 There are a further three holding rooms in which prisoners are placed to await transfer to the residential areas once the reception processes have been completed.
3.14 The medical examination room within the reception area is roomy and has an examination couch, workstation and hand-washing facilities. The room has a large window which means that intimate examinations cannot be carried out in private.
3.15 Facilities also include two interview rooms, a kitchen and three separate areas for storing clothing, valuable and other property. The property stores are well laid out and secure.
3.16 There is a shower area, although prisoners are rarely permitted to shower before transferring to the residential area where a shower is not always available prior to lock-up. All admission prisoners should be given the opportunity to shower before being locked up.
3.17 All prisoners on admission are held in the escort vehicles until prison staff check warrants, property and cash. Once this process is complete prisoners are escorted into reception one at a time, identified, and placed into one of the three holding rooms. Prisoners' personal property and cash are not always opened and checked in their presence. New prisoner details are added to the computer at the admission desk in view of other prisoners. This process should be completed in private. The suicide prevention risk assessment is appropriately conducted in one of the interview rooms.
3.18 The search area allows the searching of prisoners to be carried out in a dignified manner. Once a prisoner has been searched he is given his first night prison 'uniform' which is a tee shirt, polo shirt and jogging bottoms. This clothing is clean but not new. Prisoners are allowed to keep their own underwear and socks. Prison underwear and socks are also available, but only if asked for. These are new.
3.19 A small well appointed kitchen is located within the reception area. Prisoners who arrive in the prison too late for their evening meal are given a pack containing two sandwiches. There is no opportunity for a hot or cold drink in the reception area.
3.20 An excellent feature in the reception is the deployment of a "peer greeter". This is a prisoner who speaks to all new prisoners advising them of what to expect in the prison and most importantly offering support to new prisoners. This is an area of good practice.
First Night Centre
3.21 All new admission prisoners or remand prisoners who return to the prison convicted are located in the First Night Centre ( FNC) in a section in Hermiston level 3. Prisoners are taken to this area as soon as possible after the reception process is completed. On the first working day following admission prisoners are moved from the FNC to a residential area. New prisoners who are considered at high risk of self-harm or suicide are located in one of the safer cells on Hermiston level 2.
3.22 There are six double and twenty-eight single cells. Each room is equipped with a kettle, plate, cup, bowl and cutlery. The rooms inspected were clean and in good condition. On entry to the FNC a prisoner is provided with clean sheets, a duvet cover and a pillow case. New prisoners are only given a toothbrush and toothpaste if they ask for them. Oral hygiene equipment should be provided to all prisoners as part of the admission kit.
3.23 Staff complete the core screen document on admission to the FNC, provided the prisoner is not too late in being admitted. Peer supporters are deployed in the FNC from 18.30 hours each night. They meet the new prisoners in the communal area in the hall when they are unlocked to use the telephone. They sometimes have to see prisoners two at a time due to time constraints, which reduces the effectiveness of a very good initiative. The peer supporters have a structured information checklist and make referrals to service providers such as the chaplains or addiction services. They also have a canteen list, and can take orders up to the value of £5, if prisoners have funds, to tide them over until the next prison canteen day. Canteen items purchased this way are delivered the following day. This is an area of good practice.
3.24 New prisoners are not always given critical first night information before being locked up. Some prisoners who are not seen on the first night can often be moved to another part of the prison the following day before receiving this information and may consequently miss out totally. For remand prisoners this is the only induction available. Prisoners should not be moved until they have received this induction.
Induction Procedures
3.25 There is a well structured approach to induction for convicted prisoners serving over thirty days. The National Induction programme is delivered over four and a half days between Monday and Friday. Prisoners who are admitted on a Monday or Tuesday will be included in the induction programme the following week. Prisoners admitted later in the week will receive their induction over a week later. Some prisoners may be in the prison for 10 days before accessing the programme.
3.26 Convicted protection prisoners receive only a half day induction. They should have the same access to a comprehensive induction programme as other convicted prisoners.
3.27 Remand prisoners do not receive any induction other than the information they may get from the peer supporters in the FNC. If a remand prisoner arrives late into the FNC they will not even get this opportunity. A structured induction programme should be made available to all remand prisoners.
3.28 All convicted mainstream prisoners serving over thirty days receive a personalised invitation leaflet to attend induction. This leaflet provides good preliminary information on the programme. A number of service providers and partner organisations contribute to the full induction programme. The Governor or Deputy Governor provides an input on the first day. Prisoners are also given a tour of the establishment to see the work and training areas and also the library. The peer supporters who operate in the FNC also contribute to the induction programme.
3.29 A Family Awareness session takes place on the last day of induction. New prisoners and their families receive a presentation in the visit room where there is an opportunity to meet the Family Contact Development Officers ( FCDOs). Following the presentation there is the opportunity for a family visit and staff are available to answer personal questions.
3.30 Induction for mainstream convicted prisoners is an area of good practice.
Suicide Risk Management
3.31 There was one suicide in September 2007, and at the time of inspection there were two Fatal Accident Inquiries still to take place.
3.32 When a prisoner is considered to be at high risk there is a standard approach to care of "safe cell, canvas clothing and no items in use". Each care plan should be person centred and based on individual identified risk factors.
3.33 There are five safer cells in Edinburgh. Four are located within the main residential areas and are of modern design with appropriate furniture and electric power. There is also a safer cell in the segregation unit, with electric power but no furniture. The bed is a mattress on a concrete plinth. All safer cells should have appropriate furniture. All the safer cells have a toilet and a wash-hand basin. None of the toilets are enclosed. The safer cell in the segregation unit is only used when all the others are occupied.
3.34 At the time of the inspection the prison had only two Listeners. This is not sufficient to provide a reasonable service. It was reported that six prisoners were undergoing training as Listeners and it was anticipated that they would be operational by the end of January.
3.35 The establishment Suicide Risk Management Group ( SRMG) is chaired by the Deputy Governor and meets bi-monthly. There is a good range of disciplines on the group including Samaritans and Listeners. The SRMG minutes and ACT2Care paperwork demonstrates that the process is also well supported by the chaplaincy team.
3.36 The Listeners have a telephone, with an answering machine on which prisoners can leave a message. However, these calls are made from the telephones in the residential areas and are subject to recording. The concept is a positive development but could be made more effective if the calls are not recorded.
3.37 Art therapy, Theatre Nemo, PT and a new course "Living Life to the Full" are available to prisoners on ACT2Care.
3.38 A review of paperwork indicates some gaps in information such as regime reports and the prisoner's signature confirming attendance at case conferences. One case conference did not have the required minimum staff attendance. Case conferences occurred as planned. There is a clear commitment to minimise prisoners' opportunities to self harm or commit suicide. The peer supporters in the First Night Centre and in reception are a valuable support to the suicide prevention process. Care needs to be taken however to ensure that case conferences are properly constituted and that greater attention is paid to the completion of the paperwork.
Night Duty
3.39 Comprehensive night shift instructions are available for all posts. The manager and four staff on each night patrol are permanent and the rest of the team is made up of officers who do night shift on a rota basis along with a range of other day time duties. This gives a good balance of experience and knowledge during the night.
3.40 In all residential areas except one there is monitored officer response to prisoner requests. Two of the night shift staff were first aid trained.
3.41 All staff displayed a good knowledge of night shift procedures.
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