Report on HM Prison Noranside

HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland 1998

12. VISITING COMMITTEE

12.1 We met with the Chairman and Secretary of the Visiting Committee (VC) which had a total of eight members. The Committee met regularly and had devised a rota whereby at least one member of the VC was making a visit to the establishment every fortnight. Complaints were being properly recorded in a request book.

12.2 The main issues referred to were as follows:-

12.2.1 Relationships with the Governor, management team and staff were good.

12.2.2 Very few complaints or requests were received from prisoners.

12.2.3 The Committee admired the way in which the work ethic was constantly emphasised to prisoners throughout the week. However, they thought that the week-end regime was boring at times and that more imagination was required. (Indeed, they thought it a scandal that the excellent gymnasium was not always being fully used because of a lack of proper supervision.)

12.2.4 At present, under capacity meant that many opportunities were being missed, whereas the VC was keen to see the excellent facilities at the establishment being made available to far more prisoners from throughout Scotland.