1. Introduction

1.1 An inspection of HMP Perth was carried out during the period 2-12 February 1997, the previous formal examination having taken place in the Spring of 1993; over the intervening period there had been regular visits to the establishment, most of them unannounced. The 1997 inspection team, which numbered ten - see Annex 3 - was the largest that had been assembled in recent years and included independent Healthcare and Educational Advisers, together with four senior prison staff members including a representative from the English Inspectorate.

1.2 Over the years, previous reports on the establishment had referred to its complexity and its reputation for violence and incidents, particularly in 'C' Hall. Unfortunately, those incidents appeared to have been increasing in frequency in recent months and were no doubt due to a number of factors, not least drug debts and the settling of outside scores, at a time when drug abuse generally appeared to be growing in a number of prisons. At the same time, the closure of 'D' Hall for much needed refurbishment had contributed to high levels of overcrowding, especially in 'C' Hall.

1.3 In this report, we assess that the prison is managing to meet the main requirements of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) Mission Statement, but only just in some areas; for example, we voice apprehension about some aspects of security, the condition of many of the accommodation areas and recent standards of primary healthcare. We were also concerned at the lack of appropriate work, together with the limited availability of offending behaviour programmes and the lack of any structured preparation for prisoners' release. We were, however, greatly impressed with both the management team and the prison staff and what they were striving to do within the various constraints, which largely had been imposed upon them.

1.4 There was no doubt that after many years of neglect, the prison urgently needs refurbishment but for this to be quickly or comprehensively achieved, there needs to be much less overcrowding - not just at Perth, but across the whole of the SPS. That overcrowding is already affecting the delivery of a number of programmes aimed not only at reducing recidivism but also at providing a source of much needed optimism for the future amongst both prisoners and staff.