ANNUAL REPORT 1995-96
12. THE PRISON INSPECTORATES YEAR 1995-96
Inspections
12.1 Visits during the financial year were completed as follows (* previous year in brackets):-
SPS Establishments
| 4 full inspections (5) |
| 18 short/unannounced inspections (18) |
Other Establishments
| 11 Police Stations with Legalised Police Cells, which included five on the Outer Isles |
| 2 Prisons in Southern England - one as part of Thematic Study, the other on exchange. |
| 9 Prisons in Canada/Massachusetts, all as part of Thematic Study. |
12.2 Six (6) formal reports containing 28 (21) Recommendations and 182 (126) Points of Note were distributed during the period, the longest period between signature and publication being 12 weeks (20), the shortest 8 weeks (12). All other reports were produced within a fortnight of inspection. Further details at Annexes 1-3.
Thematic Study
12.3 The 1995 Thematic Study into Prison Visits, which included tours of establishments in Scotland, England, USA and Canada is now complete; publication follows later this summer.
Communications
12.4
| SPIN terminals have now been installed in Inspectorate offices giving database access to all SPS establishments. |
| The Inspectorate's most recent formal and thematic reports are also now available on the Internet which complements a growing demand for these documents (http://www.open.gov.uk/scotoff/pi.htm). |
Staff
12.5 Mr Ron Kite retired as Deputy though he will be remaining as a consultant; his replacement as Deputy Chief Inspector is Mrs Kate Donegan. Further staff details, including Guest Inspectors, are shown at Annex 4. The Guest Inspectors are now attending most formal and some short inspections, an innovation which allows for the development of new perspectives, whilst also enabling parent establishments to better prepare for their own subsequent inspections.
Working Practices
12.6 Methodology was reviewed and overhauled via several processes throughout the year; a number of changes are now being implemented, including a sharpening of the procedures for short/unannounced inspections. Contact with the English Prisons Inspectorate and other Inspectorates was also increased.
Finance
12.7 The Inspectorate budget for 1995-96 was £194,000, cash limited as follows:
| Pay and pension costs of 5 (including clerical support) £181,000 |
| Other costs, including travel and subsistence £13,000 |
12.8 The 1996-97 budget represents a 9.8% cut on this the previous year's figure and has led to a reduction in staffing arrangements, two of the three Inspector posts now becoming part-time (HMCIP and Inspector).
Acknowledgements
12.9 We are grateful to a number of individuals and organisations for their considerable assistance in the publication of this Report.
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