| 7.1
It became apparent to us at an early stage that the
essence of this study of female regimes in Scotland lay
in an analysis of the underlying deficiencies of the
present arrangements. Female prisoners, it could be said,
are discriminated against within the SPS in that they
have no choice as to where they may serve their sentences
- and that position has been further exacerbated by the
change in practice which allows male prisoners to remain
in their local establishment if serving sentences of up
to four years. Furthermore women prisoners, unlike men,
are not given a wide range of work/training opportunities
and there is no open establishment for women. |
| 7.2
Accordingly we had to decide whether inadequacies in the
regime or centralisation of the location was the
underlying problem. This required us to consider and
analyse the range of options for the future custody and
training of female prisoners in Scotland, after which we
could hope to reach conclusions about the most promising
path - or paths - to pursue. This analysis occupies the
remainder of this Chapter. |
| Status
Quo |
| 7.3
Retaining the status quo had much in its favour. The
buildings and physical facilities were in place and of a
good standard. The majority of prisoners would be located
reasonably near home and therefore more accessible for
visits. Some departure from the single sex situation had
already taken place with the introduction of a
significant number of male prison officers. Although such
action represents a distinct move towards
'normalisation', it is our view that that concept is
unlikely under current cultural conditions to reach full
fruition in an enforcement system restrictive by its very
nature. However, we believe that there are considerable
opportunities for advancing the regime towards
'normalisation'. These are discussed in more detail when
reaching our conclusions in Chapter 8. |
| 7.4
On the negative side of maintaining the status quo were:-
|
| 7.4.1
For those convicted prisoners who live outwith the
central belt - some 20% of the female prison population -
it creates distance/contact barriers; |
| 7.4.2
Apart from VT hairdressing and some areas of education,
it caters for only very stereotyped female roles in terms
of employment; and |
| 7.4.3
It operates on a high staff ratio with, we were advised,
an annual cost per prisoner of £35,000. |
| Increased
use of Aberdeen, Dumfries and Inverness female units. |
| 7.5
The main positives for this option were:- |
| 7.5.1
It would afford short term female prisoners from these
areas the opportunity of serving their sentences in the
local prison; |
| 7.5.2
It would allow LTPs the option of serving their last few
months nearer home in preparation for release; |
| 7.5.3
It would offer SPS greater flexibility in the use of the
total prison estate; |
| 7.5.4
It would allow greater opportunity for the gradual
development of the mixed prison concept - with separate
sleeping accommodation - if so desired; |
| 7.5.5
It would offer women greater opportunity to participate
in community work/activities - particularly for LTPs
nearing the end of their sentence; and |
| 7.5.6
It would facilitate accumulated visits being taken nearer
home. |
| 7.6
On the negative side however: |
| 7.6.1
Should these units be developed along integrated lines
this might - according to the Swedish experience and some
of the responses we received - put the women at risk of
abuse, although in Denmark it was claimed there was no
evidence of such abuse taking place; |
| 7.6.2
There could be staff cost implications at these
particular establishments as the units would be open
longer than at present, perhaps full-time. However, such
costs might be offset by a possible reduction in staffing
levels at Cornton Vale, use of the greater flexibility
implicit in mixed staffing, the introduction of variables
at the respective establishments and the phasing-out of
the retainers currently paid to the TFAs - this last
point is discussed in more detail in paragraph 8.7. |
| 7.6.3
It could create problems in the provision of work for the
additional numbers; and |
| 7.6.4
It could present problems of overcrowding in the strictly
female sections. |
| Small
Female Units in other Male Establishments |
| 7.7
In considering this option members of the Inspectorate
visited HMPs Greenock and Low Moss and HMYOI Polmont. We
also considered the observations of those Governors who
responded to our request for comments - see paragraph
5.29. |
| 7.8
In relation to Greenock it was
concluded that there were two options:- |
| 7.8.1
Convert either the present visits area or the education
accommodation into a small female section; or |
| 7.8.2
Set aside one section for females in the planned new 48
cell unit. |
| 7.9
However, the difficulties which would arise in
identifying alternative visits or education accommodation
or in re-designing the new cell unit together with all
the cost implications, persuaded us that proposals along
these lines were not viable. |
| 7.10
With regard to Low Moss we noted that,
with some alterations and careful planning, there was the
possibility of finding accommodation for some 14 short
term female prisoners. However, we recognised that
training opportunities would be limited and that this had
to be offset against the main advantage of locating the
female prisoners nearer their homes. |
| 7.11
Polmont on the other hand had potential
in two areas:- |
| 7.11.1
When the current refurbishment programme is completed,
the temporary accommodation presently in use could be
retained for holding females; and |
| 7.11.2
The TFF hostel could be handed over to the female system.
|
| 7.12
Taking these two aspects together, the positive points
were: |
| 7.12.1
Widening of skills in non domestic work for female
prisoners; |
| 7.12.2
Some effect on the normalisation concept in that the
female prisoners would work with the YOs yet have
separate recreation and sleeping accommodation; |
| 7.12.3
The development of a joint provision of open
conditions/TFF for female prisoners - this is discussed
in more detail in paragraphs 8.9-11; and |
| 7.12.4
Greater flexibility for the SPS in the use of the whole
prisons estate. |
| 7.13
On the other hand, there would be the following
disadvantages:- |
| 7.13.1
Fragmentation of the present system, which would greatly
affect the viability of Cornton Vale solely as a female
establishment; and |
| 7.13.2
Association of YOs and adults in the work place. |
| Provide
Open Conditions and TFF |
| 7.14
We understand that some consideration has already been
given to the question of open conditions on the basis of
possible provision of separate female accommodation for
four prisoners at HMP Penninghame. Although we appreciate
the potential of such a proposition and applaud any
initiative designed to recognise the special needs of
female prisoners, we must reluctantly conclude that such
a solution, involving the location of female prisoners in
all probability far from their families, would, if
generally applied, be less than ideal. It is also our
view that, because of the location and lay-out of the
establishment, it would be inadvisable for four female
prisoners to be in the same location as about 80 male
prisoners. |
| 7.15
If the need for open conditions and a proper TFF facility
is accepted, it is our opinion that allocation to female
use of the hostel at Polmont, which would create
accommodation for up to 16 prisoners, represents the best
way forward - this is discussed in more detail in
paragraphs 8.9-11. |
| Mixed
Prisons |
| 7.16
Our Scandinavian experience intensified the attention
which we would in any event have thought it proper to
give to the possibility of mixed sex prisons, with male
and female prisoners sharing in virtually all aspects of
the regime: employment, education, recreation and dining.
As the Danish authorities pointed out to us, this
arrangement means as much normalisation as possible of
life behind bars for prisoners of both sexes and must
contribute greatly to their re-socialisation after
release into a world where men and women neither can nor
wish to seek to avoid each other's company in all
circumstances. Potentially this solution ought to be the
most cost efficient by facilitating the most effective
distribution of staff and prisoners in the operations of
both the whole prison estate and individual
establishments. |
| 7.17
But there are drawbacks. As the Swedish authorities
pointed out, the experiment of mixed prisons may not be
altogether satisfactory for a number of reasons, not
least being the possible disadvantages for the female
prisoners. Basically the decision is one in relation to
the culture of the country concerned. In our view the
cultural position in Scotland today - and likely to be so
for some considerable time to come - is not conducive to
the concept of mixed prisons, partly for the kind of
reasons set out by SACRO in their evidence to us
(although that was concerned primarily with the position
of female prisoners after release). Furthermore, given
that female prisoners would seem certain always to be a
minority group in the total population of any
establishment, we believe that they would be open to
various forms of abuse or pressure (both internal and
external) and might well be presented with the less
attractive and stereotyped female jobs, such as cleaning
duties. For those reasons, we decided against
recommending the introduction of mixed prisons in
Scotland. |
