| Suicide |
| 4.17
During the course of 1994-95 there were 25 deaths in
Scottish prisons of which 16 were believed to involve
suicide (some cases still await the outcome of Fatal
Accident Inquiries (FAIs) and thus may not be included in
statistics). The comparative number of suicides in the
previous year was five. Specific reasons for this
disturbing rise are not yet apparent, if indeed they ever
will be. Nevertheless, there could be some correlation
with increasing trends towards suicide amongst younger
males in the wider community, particularly amongst the
15-24 and 25-34 age groups. Whether due to unemployment,
alcohol/drug problems, marital/family difficulties,
psychiatric illness or other reasons such as bullying or
remorse is not clear. Some or all of these factors could
have been present in recent prison suicides in Scotland,
together with the restrictive nature of detention leading
to distorted outlooks, particularly in the early stages
of custody - e.g during remand. Nor is it known whether
there could have been a ‘copy-cat’ element
contained in the recent rise; nevertheless, studies have
also sometimes referred to suicide clusters in the past.
Many of those who killed themselves did not apparently
give forewarning. |
| 4.18
The Inspectorate has been impressed in parallel by the
generally high levels of suicide awareness amongst SPS
staff. This was particularly notable at HMYOI Polmont,
where the majority of convicted young males were
imprisoned and where there were no successful suicides
during 1994-95. Instead, most suicides occurred in
Receiving Prisons, although vulnerable prisoners also
continued to show a higher frequency of suicidal
behaviour. |
| 4.19
We also noted that Medical Review Boards (MRBs), under
the control of Governors I/C or Deputies, were meeting
frequently and making appropriate recommendations
concerning prisoners who were thought to be vulnerable or
prone to suicide. Training levels for staff were as high
as had been observed in previous years. |
| 4.20
In addition, it was noted that £750,000 had been
assigned to the construction of so called ‘suicide
proof cells’ at Perth and Barlinnie. This followed
previous modifications at Aberdeen, including pastel
coloured walls and anti-ligature windows in those cells
assigned for Strict Suicide Supervision (SSS). Similar
modifications are to be introduced to the rest of the
prison estate in due course. |
| 4.21
For those prisoners who were placed on SSS, new more
humane clothing is replacing the previously degrading
tear proof canvas gowns; additionally, each prison now
holds medical packs which are designed to deal quickly
with an attempted suicide. These were given close
attention during our inspections. |
| 4.22
We also note that there has been a rise in suicides in
English prisons and thus conclude that these depressing
trends could continue for the foreseeable future, despite
the many measures that have been, or are being, put in
place to combat such a tragic and wasteful loss of life.
Indeed the percentage increase in Scotland for all
suicides is now greater than England’s; it is now
the second commonest cause of death amongst young males
in our general population. |
| 4.23
The rise in the number of suicides last year has led SPS
HQ to seek further specialist psychiatric advice from the
Institute of Psychiatry in London and will complement
studies which have been commissioned in the past. |
| 4.24
The Inspectorate cannot offer expert advice in this field
(even the experts are finding difficulty). However, we
suggest that a policy of integration of known suicidal or
para-suicidal individuals could offer better dividends
than isolation, as for example is being trialled at HMP
Edinburgh. Volunteer prisoners contributing to sections
of MRB deliberations could also be a useful experiment
(eg, general observations on prison conditions). |
| 4.25
Finally the new Prisoner Information Packs contain
telephone numbers for national Samaritan groups; we
suggest that these should also include local numbers.
Some Samaritan Groups are also able to visit and
circulate at some jails; we welcome the possibility of
this partnership being spread to all establishments. |
| |
| Drug
Abuse |
| 4.26
We make no apology for the length of this section. Drug
abuse is an apparently intractable problem; however, the
more that is understood the better -particularly as there
are no easy measures for its resolution. It should also
be appreciated that most of what follows is anecdotal;
not surprisingly it was extremely difficult for the
Inspectorate to assess the size of this problem. Few
prisoners have offered us any direct observations; many
are reticent about the subject when questioned during
inspections. The nearest we ever get to a firm indication
is the answer that "the drug problem here is no
greater than that found outside". This may be
offered to avoid subsequent intimidation, or from fear of
incrimination, or it could be an accurate interpretation
of the situation. (Nevertheless what was
‘normal’ for the prisoner outside?). However,
it is probable that the extent of drug abuse in some
Scottish prisons could be greater than in the rest of the
community, as the concentration of those previously
involved in the drug culture is likely to be stronger.
The boredom factor present in even the best of prisons
should be added to this; especially at weekends when
there is little work or much else to do. The temptation
to stay on or return to drugs, or even start the habit
may therefore be very difficult to resist; thus
temgesics, opiates and other substances may offer addicts
a temporary escape from the realities of life, and prison
in particular, especially when it is also hard to obtain
alcohol. |
| 4.27
We understand that most drugs are smoked or swallowed:
nevertheless items for injection are often cheaper and
quicker in their effect, although acquisition of fresh
needles can be an additional obstacle. This quickly leads
to the problem of dirty needles and increased risks of
HIV/Hepatitis infection - see AIDS, paragraphs 4.36-37. |
| 4.28
Medical Officers (MOs) and Nurse Officers (NOs) seem
unable to provide a complete picture either. Only a few
revealed that there was "a significant medical
problem" in the direct presentation of abuse cases
in their establishment; whether individuals arrived with
the habit or acquired it after custody was rarely
revealed either. However, drugs were implicated as a
possible cause of death in at least one recent FAI and
may also have contributed to the demise of a number of
male and female prisoners who had over-dosed after
release. |
| 4.29
The evidence from Governors I/C also varied. Some, more
notably at Receiving Units, admitted that there was a
"major problem"; others in management were more
sanguine. Nor do we have an accurate picture of the many
other problems that drugs can bring; blackmail,
extortion, and increased violence - either as a result of
taking drugs or their denial. |
| 4.30
However, a recent study provides an insight into the
scale of the problem. Of 234 individuals consulted, 76%
had used one drug, usually cannabis, during their current
sentence. Of those who were injecting before being
jailed, 11% continued to do so whilst in prison. At HMP
Glenochil one area of separate research indicated that up
to 15% of its entire prison population could be
injecting. |
| 4.31
All are nevertheless agreed that there are generally 3
routes for drugs to enter prisons, in addition to those
which are brought in by prisoners returning from
outplacements or home leaves. Either they are passed
during visits, or they enter the establishment in trade
and other vehicles; or they are introduced over or
through the perimeter fence. Some prisons have
successfully introduced 100% strip searches of
individuals after visits to reduce the amount of
substances introduced. Some prisoners appear to welcome
this, as it removes the pressure that can be placed on
them to smuggle for others. Other establishments have
opted for random searches, whilst some have gone down the
route of stricter visit supervision, which often leads to
confrontation: for example, there can be confusion and
anger over what the establishments ‘kissing
policy’ might thus be. A return to closed visits (in
booths separated by a glass panel) would eliminate one of
these routes entirely. Nevertheless, not only would this
be a most retrograde and uncivilised step, it would also
discriminate against every single visitor and prisoner.
Closed visits should only be introduced for those
individuals who have been caught smuggling. Careful
searching of cars and other entrants is of course
conducted, but this is extremely time consuming: for
example, it can take many hours or even days to search a
large trades vehicle. Nor can security cameras and
patrols cover every inch of a perimeter fence by day or
night, purely for the detection of incoming drug parcels;
nevertheless, an attempt is made to do so and is often
successful (including one ingenious example where drugs
were sewn inside a dead sea-gull and lobbed over the
wire). It is also normal practice for police to charge
those caught introducing drugs into penal establishments.
Additionally, there are random cell searches for illegal
substances, which includes the use of sniffer dogs. |
| 4.32
Drug education and drug reduction programmes offer much
better long-term solutions to this problem and have
continued throughout the year. The SPS anti-drug policy
also recognises that prison can present an opportunity to
address addiction and offending behaviours: these
programmes can extend into the local community after
sentence and, in our opinion, must continue to do so in
future. |
| 4.33
Some prisons, such as HM Institution Cornton Vale, are
about to start on major drug education programmes, and
not before time either. Here, according to a recent
survey, two out of five women had acknowledged the use of
drugs at some point in prison in the previous six months.
Many women who were imprisoned also appear to have
connections with the drug culture. These programmes are
similar to those already started and at least partially
proven at other jails, such as HMPs Edinburgh, Perth and
Glenochil. They involve multi-disciplinary teams of
specially trained staff working in consultation with the
prison medical staff. Detoxification, which may involve
the use of methadone and other drugs on a reducing basis,
can last for the first fortnight of a prisoners 28 days
on the programme (although there are the dangers of
methadone addiction to be considered). Most prisoners
then require a follow through programme lasting several
months, including voluntary urinanalysis in prison and
beyond. Some smaller prisons such as HMP Friarton are
also considering the possibility of adopting ‘drug
free areas’, where prisoners can sign contracts to
this effect, a measure which also has applications for
open establishments. |
| 4.34
In summary, drugs are probably a growth industry and pose
a serious threat in some of our prisons. It is also
notable that drug problems appear to be growing in some
of our communities; especially in the West of Scotland.
Central Government and SPS policy in this area is always
developing; nevertheless Governors I/C will have to
tailor their response to local conditions. The geography
of each prison also varies and there are distinctly
differing drug cultures in the East and West of Scotland:
so too does the category of prisoner and thus the problem
and solutions to it are different at each location. We
recognise that prison policies in future must match those
in the general community, although we believe that very
commendable attempts are already being made to follow
this. We welcome consistent strategies which: |
- Monitor the scale and
changing nature of the problem.
- Reduce the entry
routes of substances, including better
co-operation with families/visitors.
- Detoxify where
appropriate, with as humane a method as possible
(the most modern approaches should also be
adopted); the cost and apparent
‘favouring’ of addicts should be
weighed against the likelihood of a later
reduction in recidivism.
- Involve
multi-disciplinary teams of Prison Officers,
including, but not solely dependent on, Medical
Staff.
- Involve other
prisoners - the significance of peer pressure to
reduce drug usage or dependency should not be
under-estimated: greater pressure by family is
also worth closer examination, as are
“incentives” in general.
- Integrate rather than
isolate the individuals involved.
- Involve the entire
community - not just prison staff; and which
recognise that the pre-release period can be a
particularly significant time for treatment.
- Recognise that
changes in policy must be introduced gradually.
|
| 4.35
A comprehensive report on this subject was compiled for
the SPS in 1994 and a further paper on random drug
testing is now being prepared for the Scottish Prisons
Board; SPS drug abuse guidance is also being reviewed in
the light of the ‘Scottish Affairs Committee Inquiry
into Drug Abuse in Scotland.’ Yet many of our
prisons inadvertently offer an extension to the drugs
culture as a result of isolation and boredom factors. If
boredom could be reduced in future (hopefully through the
extension of opportunity agendas), so the isolation
factor could be turned in everyone’s favour:
temporarily freed from the corrosive influence of
‘home street culture’, a sustained attempt
could then be made to educate unfortunate individuals
away from this most insidious and desperate of problems.
We also caution against complacency: better to increase
resources now, even if this is based on incomplete data.
The alternative might be to run the risk of being
overwhelmed, in some locations and at much greater cost,
later. For a start, the SPS could do with several more
drug addiction workers in several jails. In the longer
term, increased psychiatric and psychologist support
should also be further quantified. Strategic priorities
might also be directed towards YOs, as they have the
greatest potential for repeated abuse and recidivism.
Equally, it is unrealistic to expect the SPS to deal
entirely with what is a community wide problem. |
| |
| AIDS |
| 4.36
It is difficult to provide an accurate picture of the
Aids problem whilst testing for HIV in our prisons is
entirely voluntary. One "fully blown" case was
seen by the Inspectorate in the course of the year: a
number of other individuals said they were HIV positive.
Nevertheless, prisoners are routinely made aware of the
associated problems of hygiene and dirty injection
needles. We also noted that some open establishments were
providing condoms, for those proceeding on home leave.
However, one Glasgow-based medical source is quoted as
stating that "prisons are now the single biggest
leak in the barrier against HIV infection in the
community", a statement that the Inspectorate is
unable to substantiate; indeed we feel that the SPS is
doing its best here. |
| 4.37
It was evident that most establishments were training
Prison Officers to take part in multi-disciplinary teams
which were then involved in regular drug/Aids education
programmes for prisoners. An Aids video was also
available although we could not be sure that every
prisoner saw it, or if it was adequately explained.
Finally, we are pleased with the work which is now
proceeding over voluntary saliva tests at some prisons.
This should gain more information on the spread or
otherwise of HIV. |
| |
| Alcohol
Abuse |
| 4.38
Many crimes are committed under the influence of alcohol,
but drug abuse appears to capture the head-lines (and
indeed a large section of this report!). However,
although alcohol abuse is less of a problem whilst in
custody (difficult to obtain and conceal in large
quantities) the temptations on release can be as great as
ever. Hence the importance of pre-release courses for
many and attempts at general alcohol education. Thus
most, but not all, prisons run their own formal
programmes on alcohol abuse; these are also greatly
supplemented by the voluntary assistance provided by
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). We encountered its dedicated
members during our inspections as they conducted their
sessions with groups of volunteer prisoners, mainly in
the evenings. We commend their efforts: they are a prime
example of the local community continuing to take an
interest in the origins of crime and its future reduction
via the imaginative use of prison time - and often beyond
it. |
| |
| Race
Relations |
| 4.39
The subject of Race Relations and Ethnic Minorities
appeared to be given appropriate and serious attention at
most locations. Each establishment had also appointed an
Ethnic Minorities Liaison Officer (EMLO); some more than
one. That said, the number and proportion of ethnic
minorities passing through Scottish prisons continued to
be relatively small. |
| 4.40
We were impressed with arrangements for religious
minority worship; however, we felt that the standard of
general information leaflets and foreign language cards
were often minimal. No cases of racial discrimination
were ever referred to; nevertheless, it would be naive to
assume that this did not exist. Ethnic diets were well
catered for. |
| |
| Prisoner
Communications |
| 4.41
Shortage of space in this report precludes publication of
the very large range of views which were obtained from
prisoners throughout the year. These are in any case
recorded in our individual establishment reports; a
wealth of detail from prisoners is also contained in the
Second Prison Survey which was published last year. |
| 4.42
Given that there has to be symbiosis between prisoners
and staff and a system of incentives to make any modern
prison system work, we were generally re-assured by
prisoner communications in 1994-95. There were some
notable developments; for example, the distribution of
comprehensive Prisoner Information Packs to each and
every prisoner. Their introduction will continue to
require a great deal of explanatory work by prison staff,
but most prisoners appear to welcome them. Nevertheless
some thought could be given to those who cannot read
(audio tapes?). Distribution of Information Packs to
families might also be considered despite the
considerable budgetary implications involved. |
| 4.43
We also noted with some considerable interest, that a
prisoner ‘Community Council’ had been formed at
HMP Penninghame. This represents an encouraging step
forward in communication. |
| 4.44
It was particularly encouraging to see greater access to
telephones. There are still not enough pay-phones and
some are also poorly sited; however, the SPS is making
great advances here. Nevertheless, we would not be
surprised if in future the Service then had to apply
restrictions on the use of telephones, due to abuses by a
minority of prisoners. |
| 4.45
Finally, brief mention must be made of the Prison
Visitors Scheme. We commend the work of its many
volunteers who were regularly in touch with those
prisoners who for whatever reason had no one to visit
them. |
