ANNUAL REPORT 1995-96
10. POINTS OF NOTE
For consideration or coordination at Scottish Office level
Security
10.1 The role of the Prisons Inspectorate in relation to security matters should be clarified and resourced where appropriate (paragraph 4.3).
Remand Prisoners
10.2 The possibility of establishing TV links between Courts and some prisons should be examined, with a view to reducing the number of court appearances and escort costs (paragraph 4.13).
10.3 A review into policy and practice in respect of the custody of remand prisoners is suggested (paragraph 4.14: a study was last carried out and published by Sacro in 1987).
10.4 The establishment of a bail hostel for female remands in Glasgow should become a priority in order to ease the pressure on HM Institution Cornton Vale (paragraph 4.22).
10.5 The possibility of making provision for Psychiatric/Psychological screening of remand (and other) prisoners in Courts should be examined, as a suicide prevention measure. Priority might be given to Glasgow (paragraph 4.35).
10.6 The policy concerning in cell TV for remand prisoners should be re-examined with a view to making them available as an anti-suicide measure (paragraph 5.39).
Drug Abuse
10.7 The scale of addiction workers provided by Local Authorities should be re-examined. The "Scotland against Drugs" task force might be used for coordination (paragraphs 4.52 and 9.2).
For SPS HQ response
Security
10.8 Further attention should be directed towards the provision of advance security training for management - and possibly staff (paragraph 4.5).
Remand Prisoners
10.9 Regimes for remand prisoners need further re-invigoration and improvement - especially recreational facilities (paragraphs 4.13 and 5.39).
Difficult Prisoners
10.10 The provision of alternative responses to some difficult prisoners requires examination before it becomes urgent (paragraph 4.24).
Sex Offenders
10.11 Programmes for those sex offenders who are serving short sentences require a coordinated response (paragraph 4.29).
Suicide
10.12 SPIN should be examined to see if it could be used to flag up at risk prisoners to staff, from the Reception stage onwards (paragraph 4.36).
10.13 Direction on drug withdrawal management may be required particularly in relation to suicide risk, with priority given to those at the early remand stage (paragraph 4.37).
Drug Abuse
10.14 The random mandatory drug testing system should be reviewed as a matter of course (paragraph 4.42).
10.15 The number of drug addiction workers available to prisons should be reviewed - and if funds are insufficient for the number required, further assistance should be sought from Local Authorities (paragraph 4.52: see also 10.7 above).
10.16 Better drug detection systems will soon become a necessity and should be introduced when funds permit (paragraph 5.42).
Offending Behaviour
10.17 Comprehensive evaluation of offending behaviour programmes is required (paragraph 5.14).
Industries
10.18 A pilot scheme should be established to test the possibilities of prisoners earning a realistic wage, (paragraph 5.25).
10.19 Pay anomalies, which have existed for a number of years, should be resolved (paragraph 5.28).
Medical
10.20 Consideration should be given to the contracting out of some pharmacy services (paragraph 6.6).
Management
10.21 The size and make-up of some establishments management structures - particularly the smaller institutions, requires reviewing (paragraph 8.7).
10.22 Careful attention should continue to be given to the "matching" of Governors and their Deputies on appointment (paragraph 8.8).
Staff
10.23 The current mobility of the work-force may need further re-appraisal (paragraph 8.12).
10.24 Further attention should be given to the recruitment of ethnic minorities (paragraph 8.19).
Training
10.25 The training of junior and middle management should receive reater priority (paragraphs 8.8 and 8.22).
10.26 There should be much more centrally directed and systematic follow-up training for staff (paragraphs 8.16 and 8.17).
For attention of individual establishments
Serious Incidents
10.27 Improved intelligence gathering and greater electronic surveillance may be required to help reduce the growing number of serious prisoner assaults (paragraph 4.8).
Remand Prisoners
10.28 The regimes for remand prisoners should be much improved (paragraph 4.13: see also 10.9 above).
Suicide
10.29 The reception process should be further divided into a number of manageable and clearly identifiable phases (paragraph 5.3).
10.30 Priority should be given to the improvement of a properly structured induction system for remand prisoners (paragraph 5.5).
Drug Abuse
10.31 Drug education and reduction programmes (paragraph 4.51 and 5.36) should receive greater priority.
10.32 The scale of addiction workers should be reviewed and increased (paragraph 4.52 see also 10.15).
10.33 Greater efforts should be made to involve prisoners families in the fight against drugs (paragraph 4.52).
10.34 PE facilities should be made much more available at week-ends (paragraph 5.36).
Alcohol Abuse
10.35 Alcohol education programmes which are linked to pre-release should be established at all institutions (paragraph 4.56).
Prisoner Communications
10.36 Foreign language cards should be updated at regular intervals (paragraph 4.58).
10.37 Prisoner community councils (as established at HMP Penninghame) may be worthy of further consideration (paragraph 4.68).
Sentence Planning
10.38 More meaningful targets should be provided in all sentence plans (paragraph 5.8).
Routines
10.39 Meal times ought to reflect the needs of individuals not the routine of the prisons and should be as laid down in operating standards (paragraphs 5.18 and 7.2).
Industries
10.40 A time-table approach, as adopted by HMP Shotts, is worthy of consideration (paragraph 5.26).
10.41 The content and relevance of VT courses should be regularly reviewed (paragraph 5.27).
Recreation
10.42 Recreational facilities should be reviewed and improved, possibly by joint staff/prisoner working groups. Libraries should be opened more regularly, especially in the evenings and at weekends, and wherever possible should be sited close to accommodation areas. Remands also ought to receive greater priority for recreation (paragraphs 5.37, 5.38 and 5.39).
Visits
10.43 The innovative measures introduced by HMP Shotts in relation to family visits should be further developed by other institutions (paragraph 5.40).
Education
10.44 Basic literacy and social skills education should receive the greatest priority (paragraph 6.4).
10.45 There should be much more evening and weekend classes (paragraph 6.4).
10.46 Prisoner education committees (as established at HMP Peterhead) may be worthy of further consideration (paragraph 6.4).
10.47 Speech therapy classes (as established at HM Institution Polmont) may be worthy of consideration, where funds permit (paragraph 6.14).
10.48 Opportunities for SVQ certification in prison kitchens should be expanded (paragraph 7.8).
Chaplains
10.49 The appropriate balance between pastoral and practical needs in prison chapels should be maintained (paragraph 6.16).
Prison Visitors Scheme
10.50 Consideration should be given to revitalising this valuable and inexpensive service (paragraph 7.12 and Annex 5).
Fire, Health and Safety
10.51 Medical screening and food handling training for non-catering staff should be more systematic (paragraph 7.7).
10.52 Toilet and shower arrangements should be made available for the above, receiving the appropriate priority in strategic plans (paragraph 7.7).
10.53 Fire procedures and precautions require greater focus at all locations (paragraph 7.15).
10.54 Consideration should be given to the establishment of full time Health and Safety Officers (paragraph 7.18).
10.55 The provision of toilets for female staff should be greatly improved as a matter of urgency and operational efficiency (paragraph 8.19).
Training
10.56 Staff training would benefit from a local skills needs analysis. Wherever possible HR Managers and STO's should also be sited much more closely together (paragraphs 8.16 and 8.17).
10.57 All establishments should direct more attention to training their management teams in daily and strategic coordination skills - very short but regular training sessions could reap huge dividends! (Paragraph 8.22).
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