6. REGIMES

Induction

6.1 The relatively new induction programme had been running for approximately nine months and took place in a purpose designed suite which was an excellent facility. The induction staff team had been consulted and involved in its design and the area was planned for induction, the start of sentence planning and cognitive skills work. Its main feature was a large, very well appointed and welcoming group room in which most of the induction activities took place. The room had a tea making area in one corner and through the skilful use of screens, could be converted for one-to-one work or group work as required; there was also a separate cognitive skills classroom. Staff and prisoner toilet facilities were satisfactory.

6.2 The staff team comprised a Supervisor and 10 Officers and the team was to be increased by one more Officer when offending behaviour groupwork was introduced shortly after our inspection. All the staff were volunteers who had been selected by the keen and knowledgeable Supervisor. The team was responsible for providing the induction programme and initial sentence plans for all prisoners serving 12 months or more.

6.3 The establishment could receive admissions on any day of the week and the first duty of the induction staff was to interview the new prisoners in their Hall and advise them when they were likely to get on to an induction course; at most, the wait would be no more than a few weeks. LTPs were offered an extended programme which lasted two weeks though that was shortly to be extended to four weeks. Those serving sentences of less than four years were normally offered a five day programme but that could be extended if the prisoner so requested. In reality, short term prisoners were often recidivists and were therefore more reluctant to sign up for an induction course.

6.4 The philosophy to which all induction staff worked was that it was their task to allay fears, myths and preconceptions of prisoners and to inform them of the opportunities on offer not only during their time at Perth but also throughout their sentence. Thus, for example, staff gave prisoners a prospectus for and showed them a video of the open prison at Castle Huntly. Staff clearly saw it as their job to take a positive and assertive approach with prisoners but at the same time they ensured that each prisoner went through the induction programme at his own pace. This was very impressive to see and an example of good practice, as it was clearly designed to meet the real needs of individual prisoners and not just to carry through a routine programme. All the team had received training in group work and interviewing skills and were seeking to improve their experience and qualifications.

6.5 The normal day started at 0900 hours and finished at 1530 hours; there was a break for lunch from 1130 to 1400 hours. Though we were disappointed to learn that there was no input from a Psychologist, the programme did include:

• a tour of the prison, after an explanation of the opportunities that were available so that prisoners could get a good feel for the whole establishment;

• one-to-one sessions with induction staff and interviews with social workers, education staff and chaplains;

• a session with the Labour Allocation Officer; and

• opportunities to attend Physical Education (PE) sessions.

6.6 LTPs had their programme tailored to meet their specific needs; thus there were sessions explaining parole and how to achieve category ‘C’ status, temporary release and open conditions. The staff team worked hard to ensure that initial targets for sentence planning were as relevant as possible, hence the reason why the induction programme for LTPs was being extended to 28 days. Most of the induction being given to those serving a life sentence was on a one-to-one basis with staff.

6.7 All prisoners were informed of the name of their Personal Officer when they arrived in their Hall. There were very few prisoners from ethnic minorities but the induction team held a list of interpreters which included help for blind prisoners through the local Perth police.

Comment

6.8 Overall, the induction arrangements were most impressive and a tribute to the staff concerned. We suggest, however, that consideration be given to having separate induction arrangements for those serving sentences of less than 12 months and for remand prisoners.

Sentence Planning

6.9 Sentence Planning was being provided for LTPs but we felt that the delivery was patchy and there had not been the appropriate management structure in place to provide support and oversight of the scheme. Nevertheless, there were some prisoners who were participating and they were having regular formal reviews with their Personal Officers.

6.10 Prisoners in ‘E’ Hall were all included in the scheme and all had the appropriate folders. However, some had been returned from other establishments and their records either had not been received or had gone missing. In addition, there was a number of prisoners in the establishment who for a variety of reasons were not participating but there were no accurate records to highlight who those prisoners were. Some Sentence Planning folders were up-to-date, whilst others were only recently started. Nevertheless, staff and prisoners were aware of the scheme and some prisoners were actively participating. The scheme had not, however, been operating in 'C' Hall even though around 50 LTPs were located there.

6.11 In recent times, local management had made efforts to try and get the scheme up and running in ‘C’ Hall and up to date in other Halls and though the mechanisms for this had been put in place, the project was still in its infancy. Also, there was no evidence of any recent training to support the staff in carrying out this role. Supervisors and Officers were, however, clear that evidence of their carrying out that function would form part of their Personal Performance Programme (PPP), a fact which was a cause of some concern to many.

Comment

6.12 The SPS's Operating Standards for Sentence Planning and the Personal Officer Scheme were not being met - though it has to be said that a similar lack of provision has been found in most prisons. A reinvigoration of the Sentence Planning Scheme is being addressed at a national level and HMP Perth is to form part of the pilot scheme. Nevertheless, we suggest that the recent local drive to implement the scheme should be properly monitored to ensure consistency in delivery and that appropriate support mechanisms for staff are in place - for example, through the monitoring of PPP.

Routines

6.13 The varied nature of the population and the closure of ‘D’ Hall had meant that there was now only limited progression between the two LTP Halls - viz, ‘A’ and ‘E’. Each Hall, though, had its own routine in place as described below.

6.14 ‘A’ Hall contained long term convicted prisoners, the vast majority of whom had been doubled-up two to a cell since the closure of ‘D’ Hall. Prisoners were transferred from ‘C’ Hall once they had been convicted and as and when spaces became available. The Hall also held category ‘A’ prisoners, all of whom were in single cell accommodation. There were no integral sanitation facilities so unlock was the same time as for other parts of the establishment and the working day commenced around 0805 hours for those who were required for work; the remainder were locked in their cells. There was a lock up prior to lunch after which prisoners collected their plated meals on a flat by flat basis, returning to their cells to eat. The option of a period of exercise after lunch was available but with the exception of weekends, the length of the period in question did not satisfy SPS Operating Standards. Prisoners returned to their work parties at approximately 1310 hours though afternoon visiting was also available. On return from work at 1600 hours there was a further numbers check and the evening meal was served at approximately 1630 hours - again, that did not comply with the relevant SPS Operating Standard. Evening recreation was from 1830 to 2100 hours during which time prisoners had access to in-cell association, evening classes or groups, visits or PE which was available on three midweek evenings and both weekend days. Recreation facilities included a large room with snooker, TV and computer games; in addition, there was a similar sized room with table tennis, darts and TV with access to an upstairs room which had video and satellite television facilities.

6.15 Prisoners had access to the canteen on a Friday until mid-afternoon and there were five telephones in various locations throughout the Hall. Laundry facilities were available within the Hall for prisoners’ use and daily changes of prison clothing were offered, in addition to which a laundry bag system was in operation.

6.16 ‘E’ Hall was the progression route for LTPs and all prisoners were located either in single cell accommodation or in one of two dormitories; access to night sanitation was for the majority of prisoners - see paragraph 3.15. At weekends the regime in the Hall was less restrictive than in other parts of the establishment as there was free association from 1330 until 2100 hours. However, at other times the routine generally followed that of ‘A’ Hall. That said, prisoners in ‘E’ Hall had access to an additional visiting period as they were entitled to have a family visit between 1200 and 1330 hours on weekend afternoons.

6.17 PE sessions were available on three mid week evenings and on a Sunday and prisoners also had access to evening classes. Recreation facilities in the Hall were large but rudimentary, particularly for the top Hall of a progression system. One room contained a pool table and a snooker table plus computer games whilst another large room contained a TV; two smaller rooms were also available. There was an adequate number of card telephones - both in the Hall and the recreation area - and laundry arrangements were similar to those operating in ‘A’ Hall. Access to the canteen was available on Thursdays up until mid afternoon.

6.18 Work and educational opportunities were available for all those located in the Hall but being top end prisoners, they also had the opportunity to apply for Special Escorted Leaves.

6.19 ‘C’ Hall was the admission Hall for every type of prisoner both remand and convicted, regardless of length of sentence. As such, the Hall operated a wide range of regimes - viz, remand, protection, short and long-term convicted, suicide supervision and punishment - with prisoners separated by landing. Attempting to manage such a number of different regimes was difficult and demanding for all the staff concerned, but more recently the majority of prisoners were also having to double up in already small, cramped cells, which made for a generally unpleasant environment for both staff and prisoners alike.

Convicted Prisoners

6.20 The routine for convicted prisoners was similar to that of other Halls and most closely aligned to that of ‘A’ Hall. Prisoners were assigned to work parties and had access to educational facilities. PE was available on two midweek evenings and on both weekend days. Visits were available during the afternoons and evenings midweek and on weekend afternoons.

6.21 Canteen facilities were available on a Tuesday until mid-afternoon. Recreation was in rooms off the bottom flat: one large room had a small TV, three pool tables (two of which were broken) and a table tennis table; a second large room also contained a TV. An adequate number of telephones was available. All items of clean clothing had to be obtained through the prison laundry, a service which was offered on a daily basis though there were problems with regard to kit - see paragraph 7.39.

Protection Prisoners

6.22 Protection prisoners were located in the middle flat of the Hall which had lockable entries and exits to improve safety. Their routine also differed in that they were taken to work after the main body of prisoners and were returned to the Hall prior to the rest moving, which meant that there was approximately half an hour’s reduction in the working day in both the morning and afternoon. At the time of the inspection, exercise was not on offer - which was unacceptable. There was some access to educational opportunities but not to any of the evening activities.

6.23 There was one evening session of PE available but no access at weekends; canteen facilities were available on the same basis as for the other convicted prisoners in the Hall. Recreation facilities were limited and rather poor in that one cell on the flat had been converted into a TV room, but access was limited to four prisoners at a time which meant that it was only available on two evenings for each prisoner; there were no other facilities available apart from cell association or open association on the landing.

6.24 There was a telephone located on the landing which provided adequate access for the numbers involved - around 30 at the time of inspection - and laundry and kit facilities were the same as those for other convicted prisoners in the Hall (and so reflected similar problems).

Remand Prisoners and YOs

6.25 These were located on the top flat of the Hall. The routines for the remand population were different to that of convicted prisoners and although unlock was at the same time as the rest of the establishment, there was a lock-up immediately following breakfast. From 0830 until approximately 1115 hours, they were expected to carry out cleaning duties or to attend education, exercise or PE - the latter being available on a daily basis except Fridays and weekends. After lunch and until 1400 hours, they were again locked in their cells. Thereafter, recreation was available with canteen facilities being provided for about one hour every day except Friday and Sunday. There was another half hour lock up before the evening meal and again after that meal until about 1900 hours. Recreation was then available for about an hour and a half with the final lock up being at 2100 hours.

6.26 Visits were available every weekday but only at weekends under exceptional circumstances. Those who chose to wear their own clothes were expected to hand them out for laundering as no laundry facilities were provided for them within the establishment.

6.27 Telephones were available in the recreation room, but due to their siting were subject to considerable noise from other parts of the area. The other facilities available in that area for recreation were a TV, table tennis, two pool tables and a computer game. There appeared to be inadequate facilities for the number of prisoners participating.

Comment

6.28 The variety of routines which operated within the establishment were complex and demanding, particularly in ‘C’ Hall. Some efforts had been made to improve the facilities - particularly for protection and remand prisoners - but there was still a number of issues of concern. Firstly, the time allocated for exercise periods for convicted prisoners on weekdays did not meet SPS Operating Standards and there was no exercise available for protection prisoners, a situation which requires to be reviewed immediately to ensure that both Prison Rules and SPS Operating Standards are met. The timing of the evening meal was also outwith the SPS Operating Standards - but see paragraph 7.7. Finally, though the recreation areas were largely of a reasonable size, they were in need of upgrading and decorating. In addition, we felt that some imagination should be used in the range and type of facilities provided, with specific attention being given to the remand recreational facility which was cramped and noisy.

Offending Behaviour Programmes

6.29 With the exception of the Cognitive Skills and Drugs Rehabilitation programmes, most group work programmes appeared to have fallen away some three to four months before our inspection took place. Reasons for this are outlined below.

6.30 Two Officers had been selected for training as Cognitive Skills coaches and both had achieved accreditation, though one of them had subsequently moved to the Drug Rehabilitation Unit. The remaining Officer had been working full-time on Cognitive Skills since April 1996 and two more Officers were scheduled for training as coaches, which would provide more flexibility and support in delivering the programme. Despite those staffing changes, the programme was still ongoing and was on schedule to meet its national target. The courses were advertised and prisoners were invited to apply, an arrangement which had provided sufficient volunteers for the courses run so far. Overall, this programme appeared to be well organised.

6.31 The Drug Rehabilitation programme was operating from a section in ‘E’ Hall - further details are at paragraphs 5.37-42.

6.32 Other programmes which had previously been on offer to prisoners included Anger Management, Drug Education, Alcohol Education and HIV/AIDS; however, these courses had not been in place recently with the result that waiting lists now existed. The Social Work Unit had been the main driving force behind the provision of those programmes though they had been run in conjunction with Prison Officers. Two main difficulties were highlighted to us in relation to the provision of group work programmes. One was the lack of facilities - such as group rooms - though that was being resolved by the provision of a portable building which was located next to the Social Work Unit. The second difficulty was the release of Prison Officers from regular duties either to attend training or to deliver the programmes, a problem which had led in the past to courses being cancelled. It appeared that Prison Officer involvement was the result of individual motivation and line management commitment, which could be variable.

6.33 The Social Work Unit was actively involved in attempting to widen the variety of programmes through the introduction of pre-release and sex offender programmes. At the time of our visit, a pilot pre-release programme, which was in addition to the pre-release course being run in the Education Unit (see paragraph 6.62), had been running for a week but unfortunately a significant proportion of the participants had already fallen away. As regards sex offenders, both social work and prison staff had been asked to draw up a programme and had spent a considerable amount of time researching and drawing one together. However, by the time the programme had been put together, the prisoners who had been identified as being the ones who would have benefitted most had moved on and subsequently there had not been another opportunity to pilot it.

Comment

6.34 The circumstances surrounding many of these courses were disappointing for prisoners and staff and we are firmly of the view that offending behavour programmes should be given a much greater priority - both in terms of coordination and provision. This might be achieved as an integrated part of a timetabling approach to prisoner activities - see paragraph 6.48. Considering the size and mix of the prisoner population at Perth, the number of programmes should be greatly increased with pre-release arrangements being given the same degree of importance as is given to the induction process. The Prison Officers involved should also be supported and provided with adequate training and time to fulfil this aspect of their role, in addition to which there should be greater linkage to Sentence Planning so that prisoners’ needs are being focused on and addressed at appropriate stages of their sentence.

Labour Allocation Board

6.35 In practice, the Labour Allocation Board consisted of a Supervisor who dealt with the security implications of allocations to employment, sentence planning targets and the administration of allocation forms. He also made decisions about changes to work parties and we were particularly impressed with the care which was taken during the induction process to explain to prisoners the range of work opportunities available to them. That presentation was not a cursory introduction but rather a thorough question and answer session which lasted for over two hours.

6.36 We were assured that all medically fit sentenced prisoners were allocated work though our observations were that insufficient work opportunities were available - see paragraphs 6.45-48. It was also clear that the range of employment opportunities did not fully meet the needs of prisoners. The Labour Allocation Supervisor found it difficult to fill places on existing Vocational Training (VT) Courses, whilst the prison seemed to need a good quality production workshop which would provide some hands-on skills for prisoners. That said, the labour allocation system was making the best use of the work available in the prison.

Employment

6.37 There were six work parties involved in delivering national or local contracts, as well as two craft shops supplying the Prison Service charity shop.

6.38 The two woodwork parties comprised a machine shop which was operated by a Supervisor, two Officer Instructors and 24 prisoners and a wood assembly shop with two Officer Instructors and 16 prisoners. The two parties worked in conjunction with each other on mainly private sector industrial contracts.

6.39 There were two textile parties both working on a national contract for male Officer uniforms. The larger of the shops made trousers and was operated by a Supervisor, an Officer Instructor and 22 prisoners. The smaller shop, which involved two Instructors and 10 prisoners, made up the tunics.

6.40 There was a shoe manufacturing shop which also worked on national contracts - mainly for the SPS. This was operated by a Supervisor, two Instructors and 20 prisoners.

6.41 The Braille Unit was operated with one Instructor and 11 prisoners and undertook local contracts.

6.42 There were two Craft Shops which supplied the Prison charity shop at York. Each was manned by an Instructor and 11 prisoners with one working on wood-based products, whilst the other concentrated on metal-based products.

6.43 In addition to the work parties, VT courses in five skills were available - ie bricklaying, horticulture, industrial cleaning, market gardens and painting and decorating. Each of those groups could accommodate up to 10 prisoners supervised by one Instructor. Prisoners in the industrial cleaning and bricklaying were involved in various projects around the establishment, though the market gardens and horticulture groups were understandably restricted during the winter months. The painting and decorating group was involved in developing new areas of work. All of the prisoners in the VT parties were working towards SCOTVEC qualifications and in the case of industrial cleaning, to the British Institute of Cleaning Standard. Plans to commence a VT catering course were well advanced - see paragraph 7.10.

Comment

6.44 The quality and variety of the training and craft opportunities were extremely good and compared well with most other establishments, a situation which will be further enhanced with the introduction of the VT catering course.

6.45 The industrial aspect of prisoners’ employment was, however, disappointing in relation to both the quality and quantity of work opportunities. The numbers who attended work were not all employable on jobs or tasks and so some were to be found sitting or walking around the sheds, which did not produce a satisfactory work environment. The range of work was particularly poor and offered little or no incentive to prisoners either to attend or to be industrious. In addition, there were also between 50 and 100 convicted prisoners on a daily basis who were not working, much of this being due to a reluctance to attend, overcrowding and a lack of overall clarity as to prisoners participation in other regime activities.

6.46 The physical environment of the work areas was variable but in the main adequate, though the shoe shop was in need of considerable upgrading and investment. Management was, however, aware of this and also of the difficulties in obtaining future contracts. It was clear from plans that had been drawn up locally that there was a recognition that improvements were required and it was hoped that this would be resolved by the review of Perth’s industries which was imminent.

6.47 We recognise that some aspects of the running of the Industrial complex are national issues but nevertheless there are other aspects which could be achieved locally and could lead to immediate improvements. For example, the management of the employment of prisoners requires to be more closely aligned to the work areas; some Supervisors were part of the workshed complements but others were distanced from the work locations. We suggest, therefore, that they should be located in their areas of responsibility and that priority and clear leadership be given to productivity and stability.

6.48 It was also clear to us - as is referred to in other parts of this report - that there was a lack of coordination and planning around how prisoners should spend their time during the day. We, therefore, recommend that there should be an urgent appraisal of that situation with consideration being given to the possibility of introducing a timetabling system which involves work, offending behaviour programmes, PE, education and other regime activities.

6.49 On the positive side, we were pleased to find that there were two work areas for prisoners on protection.

Training for Freedom Hostel

6.50 The TFF hostel was located outside the prison security perimeter near to the main Gate. It provided accommodation for those determinate and indeterminate LTPs in the final stage of their sentence who had been selected as a result of recommendations from the Parole Board. Individuals generally spent up to six or nine months there before release, though that period could be extended.

6.51 Community-based work placements in the city, which were mainly with charitable organisations, helped prepare individuals for release and re-integration into the community. Additional preparation and testing was also being achieved via regular home leaves and local paroles. One Officer, who in turn was overseen by the 'A' Hall Unit Manager, was responsible for the running of the project, which included the management of the hostel and the placements.

6.52 At the time of inspection there were four prisoners in the hostel, though a maximum of ten could be so accommodated, mainly in single rooms on two floors. There was a small but adequately equipped kitchen and a sitting room/recreation area, together with appropriate toilet and shower facilities, all of which enabled prisoners to pursue an independent life within a degree of sensible supervision. Some cleaning support was normally provided by a passman, though there was no such incumbent at the time of inspection.

6.53 In addition to our inspection of the hostel, we visited the various placements and concluded that all the prisoners who were so involved, seemed to be leading relatively productive lives. Employers said they were satisfied with the work provided, whilst liaison with the prison was described as being satisfactory.

6.54 Our major disappointment was that the numbers in the hostel had been dropping since late 1996 so that three or four occupants had gradually become the norm. Thus a number of beds (which are currently at an absolute premium in the SPS) were not being taken up and more importantly perhaps, opportunities for useful employment were being missed in a city which was able to offer a large number of outplacements. We suggest, therefore, that SPS HQ should review that situation to ensure that the maximum number of prisoners who are eligible for TFF are being considered.

Apex

6.55 Apex, who had at one time provided a Job Search programme for the prison, had not been successful in retaining that contract though local management continued to maintain contact by attending the organisation’s quarterly meetings.

Education

6.56 As part of a comprehensive review, we visited the Education Unit to observe a range of classes and conducted interviews with the Regimes/Services Manager, who had responsibility for the Education function. The permanent teaching staff in the Unit were also interviewed, including the individual temporarily in charge of the Unit during the sick leave absence of the Co-ordinator. Visits were also made to Falkirk College to discuss the contract.

6.57 The Education Unit was housed in a purpose-built pre-fabricated building which had been erected in 1992; it provided bright and comfortable accommodation which was adequate for the needs of the establishment. The accommodation comprised a general classroom, an art room, a staffroom and three toilets on the ground floor; upstairs there was a large general classroom which could be partitioned, a computer room, a large store, a small library and a prisoners’ toilet. In addition to the teaching staff, the Unit was staffed by two Discipline Officers.

6.58 Resources were adequate to meet the needs of the range of courses provided. This was particularly true in the case of computing where a rolling programme was in place to ensure the maintenance of good quality hardware. A valuable support service was provided by the prison library and the Perth and Kinross Library Service. A range of texts and materials about the courses provided was available to meet the specific needs of prisoners.

6.59 The education service was provided under contract from Falkirk College and had commenced in 1995 with a five year duration. Similar contracts were in place with HMPs Castle Huntly and Friarton and HMYOI Polmont, an arrangement which had the advantage of enabling the College to provide education to the four establishments on a co-ordinated basis and which facilitated the exchange of good practice and experience. To oversee and monitor the arrangements, a Prison Education Consultative Group had been established and was chaired by the College Principal. Included on its membership were the Governors of the four establishments as well as those with responsibility for prison education in the SPS College and in the four establishments.

6.60 The Perth Contract had made significant changes to the operation of the Education Unit. In particular, the staff of the Unit were now employees of Falkirk College and were therefore accountable to College management, as well as being accountable to prison management and in particular to the Regimes/Services Manager. No serious problems had arisen thus far from this dual arrangement, largely due to the experience and quality of the staff involved. Evidence suggests that the Education Unit had adjusted satisfactorily to the contract arrangements, which were meeting the needs of the Unit in a flexible way.

6.61 The staffing complement of the Unit comprised three full-time and three part-time teachers amounting to a total Full Time Equivalent of 3.9, though that had been adjusted downwards by 10% in November 1996 due to the effect of the closure of ‘D’ Hall. We were satisfied that the staffing complement was adequate to meet prisoners’ curricular needs. The day-to-day management of the Unit was the responsibility of the Education Co-ordinator but unfortunately, during our inspection she was absent on long-term sick leave though her duties had been passed to one of the full-time teachers.

6.62 As attendance at the Unit was voluntary, the curricular programme largely reflected the needs of prisoners as expressed through such processes as sentence planning. This resulted in a varied curriculum including Art, Computing, English/Communications, History, German, Geography, Modern Studies, Music, Maths, Psychology, Sociology and Social Studies. External Certification was offered in all of those subjects and there was evidence of success in SCOTVEC Modules, Highers and Standard Grades. Results in Computing and English were particularly noteworthy and in Computing, one student had progressed to the early stages of an Open University Degree. Specially focused courses were also provided for pre-release prisoners, remand prisoners and one VT group. Leisure classes were provided by Prison Officers in Woodwork, Leatherwork and Soft Toys. Law Students from Dundee University contributed to the evening programme by providing informal legal advice and information and the curricular programme of the Unit was enhanced by contributions from visiting speakers. During the inspection, a useful contribution was made to the pre-release course by a visitor from the Perth Jobs Club.

6.63 The nature of the courses and the clientele encouraged a variety of teaching and learning approaches, including individualised learning, group methods, open learning, flexible learning and distance learning. That range of approaches placed great demands on the teachers but there was evidence that their professional skill and commitment were enabling them to meet the challenge.

Comment

6.64 The quality of the education provided at the prison was above average. It was presented in a very professional way and there was a positive and supportive ethos in the Education Unit. However, we suggest that the quality of the provision could still be improved as follows:-

6.64.1 There was a serious lack of continuity of attendance at classes in the Unit. Whilst that may simply reflect the fact that education was a voluntary activity, it was adversely affecting the quality of the education provided and was creating additional problems for the teaching staff.

6.64.2 The fact that the curriculum programme attempted to meet individual needs has merit but it meant that it lacked structure and coherence. Consideration should therefore be given to offering a 'core + options' package which could be provided from the existing courses offered in the Unit.

6.64.3 Priorities will have to be established; recent initiatives to make provision for focused groups such as remand, protection and pre-release prisoners are to be welcomed but concern was expressed to us about proposals to restrict full-time education to two years duration. A flexible approach is needed to ensure the optimum use of such resources.

6.64.4 Thus far, quality assurance had concentrated on measures such as prisoner responses and attendance figures. There is, however, a need to establish systems and processes which will attempt to evaluate the quality of the provision of education. We understand that there are plans to extend the quality systems of Falkirk College to the prison which will include a development and appraisal scheme, which should bring considerable benefits.

Library

6.65 The library was located in the former chapel though plans were in hand to move the facility to a more suitable location later in the year. It was stocked under an arrangement with Perth and Kinross Library Services from whom a full service could be obtained if required - eg, ordering particular books, etc. The library included fiction, non fiction and audio sections though there was no reference facility; it was currently carrying out about 1,000 transactions per month.

6.66 Convicted prisoners had access at lunch times with the Halls attending in rotation. Protection prisoners had access on Thursday mornings but there was no formal arrangements for remand prisoners who had a facility within ‘C’ Hall which consisted of a large number of donated books. Separate cells and ‘E’ Unit arrangements were similar to ‘C’ Hall.

Comment

6.67 The present location in the former chapel was unsuitable for the storage of books as the area in question suffered from damp and it was, therefore, pleasing to learn that new premises would be brought into use later in the year. It was, however, disappointing to note the somewhat limited access which was currently available, especially for remand prisoners. We suggest, therefore, that current arrangements are reviewed with the aim of increasing accessibility, especially in the evenings.

Physical Education

6.68 Staffing of the gymnasium comprised a Supervisor and three Officers and when available, a trained Sports and Games Officer (though due to other commitments, the availability of that member of staff was rather spasmodic). A PE programme was provided from 0645 until 2030 hours Monday to Friday, from 0745 am until 1100 hours on a Saturday and from 0745 until 1600 hours on a Sunday. We were advised that a new weekend programme was under consideration which would extend access into a time when there were fewer other activities available.

6.69 PE facilities consisted of a small gymnasium, a weights room, an ash football park, a staff office, classroom, storeroom and a shower area. We were pleased to see that the suggestion which had been made in our previous report about the need for a review of the layout of the indoor facility to maximise the space available - and to provide a proper degree of staff supervision - had been implemented. The new staff office provided better all round observation of the complex and we were pleased to note also that the shower area had been upgraded. Another helpful addition was a classroom which will bring a more professional approach to the PE programme and will allow externally certificated subjects to be taken by prisoners. Though small, the gymnasium was well used and we were pleased to learn that consideration was being given to the removal of the old heating panels which presented a health and safety (H & S ) risk. We suggest that the staff changing area should be provided with a shower - at present, staff have to change at one end of the complex and their shower area is at the opposite end.

6.70 We were advised of proposals to upgrade the weights room by the installation of a new floor covering; we understand the layout of the area was also to be altered to provide a weights training area and an aerobic area to bring it into line with the facilities available in external sports centres. We suggest, however, that consideration should also be given to the lighting in the area and to the purchase of additional aerobic equipment. We were also concerned to note that there was no maintenance contract for the equipment and in particular the powered aerobic machinery.

6.71 The PE programme was diverse and was aimed at a wide target population. We were particularly pleased to note that the proposed new programme referred to at paragraph 6.68, contained proposals for a significant increase in the amount of PE time which was to be made available to remand and protection prisoners.

6.72 All admissions were given an induction programme for the gymnasium in addition to which there was an assessment programme for those who required remedial exercises. Prisoners could participate in awards courses in health and well-being and we understand that PE staff intended to increase that participation to include weightlifting, football refereeing, first aid and resuscitation. We were pleased to learn that PE staff were assisting in looking after the specialised needs of prisoners throughout the establishment, including those participating in the drug rehabilitation and detoxification groups; this appeared to be an excellent example of cross-functional cooperation. We were, however, concerned about the way prisoners came to PE from their work areas because it seemed that industrial staff did not know in advance who was to attend and the arrangements were also open to abuse by stronger willed prisoners; we suggest, therefore, that those arrangements should be reviewed. We suggest also that prisoners should only be allowed to participate in PE activities when they are wearing the appropriate clothing.

6.73 Communications regarding PE activities were acceptable but will be greatly improved with the introduction of the proposed PE notice boards in the Halls. A PE diary was used to record class numbers, accidents and any points of interest and the Supervisor was hoping to introduce a system of regular monthly meetings with his line manager.

Comment

6.74 We were pleased to see the considerable progress which the PE function had made since our last formal inspection. We were, however, disappointed to find that no progress had been made on the resurfacing of the ash football park, which had been raised as an issue in the report of our last formal inspection. The existing surface is far from ideal, particularly in terms of health and safety, and we therefore repeat our previous suggestion that the pitch should be resurfaced.

Family Contact

(i) Visits

6.75 The visit area was located within the main administration building and consisted of a reception area, a waiting room with male, female and disabled toilets and baby changing facilities. The main visits room could accommodate 40 visits at a time, in addition to which there were 10 closed visit booths and six rooms for the use of solicitors and social workers. A holding area for prisoners together with a searching facility, made up the visiting complex. Within the main visit room there was a small canteen facility which was manned by local volunteers and an area which had been designated as a play area for children.

6.76 All visitors entering the area were required to go through an airport-style metal detector. No hand luggage or food was allowed but lockers were available to visitors. Supervision was provided by an appropriate number of staff supported by CCTV cameras. All prisoners were strip searched on completion of their visit prior to returning to the accommodation areas.

6.77 There were four visit sessions each week-day and all visits for convicted prisoners were pre-booked. The prison operated a flexible policy and only the availability of places in the waiting room limited the number of visits prisoners might have. If all the spaces were not taken up, a rota system in the Halls operated to ensure that all prisoners had the opportunity of booking extra visits. Two sessions took place in the afternoons, each for 60 minute visits, while the two evening sessions each lasted 30 minutes. At weekends, normal visits lasted from 1400-1530 hours on both days.

6.78 The pre-booking systems worked well and with a number of spaces allocated to each Hall, it meant that every convicted prisoner could be guaranteed one visit per week but could also have extra visits on any weekday if space was available. Remand prisoners had the option of taking a minimum of a 30-minute visit each weekday and access to weekend visits was available to those whose visitors had difficulty attending during the week.

6.79 Convicted LTPs who had progressed to ‘E’ Hall were permitted a family visit which took place between 1200 and 1330 hours at weekends. Although such visits were taken in the normal visiting area, they were limited to 10 per weekend. Supervision during those sessions was less pronounced, the aim being to provide a more relaxed atmosphere. In good weather, prisoners and their families participating in such visits had access to a small enclosed courtyard where picnic style tables and a sandpit for children had been provided. In practice, prisoners were entitled to one such visit every eight weeks.

6.80 At the time of our inspection, 43 prisoners were being required to take their visits in the closed visit area. That administrative action had been taken for a number of reasons - including attempts to smuggle drugs into the prison - and we were satisfied that the system was being appropriately used. The cases of prisoners on closed visits were reviewed monthly.

6.81 During our inspection we met with a representative of a firm of Solicitors which regularly visited clients in the establishment. We were told that whereas access arrangements had previously been excellent, following the recent hostage-taking incident agents now only had access from 0900-1600 hours Monday to Friday and 0830-1130 hours on Saturday. For that latter time, each firm was allocated one visiting booth only - even if other booths were empty. Whilst we had some sympathy that these arrangements were now placing some restrictions on Solicitors, we shared the Governor’s view that a proper balance had to be maintained between access and safety. We suggest, however, that the Governor should keep the situation under regular review.

(ii) Family Contact Development Officer

6.82 Some four weeks prior to our inspection, four Officers from within the Operations Group had been appointed as Family Contact Development Officers (FCDO), that number being required to ensure that at least one would be on duty during each visit period. Though no formal training for that role had been provided, two of the Officers had visited HMP Shotts to see how the role of FCDO had developed there in order to identify ways of applying that system to Perth. We were impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm of the staff involved and noted their plans to upgrade the children’s area. In that respect, it was planned to involve students participating in an HNC childcare course at Perth College in a job experience scheme which would include taking a nursery school approach to the children’s facility. The FCDO scheme at Perth had the potential to develop quickly and provide a real service to the prison and to visitors. We have, therefore, suggested to the Governor that it receives appropriate management support.

(iii) Visitors Centre

6.83 A visitors centre had been established adjacent to the main entrance to the prison and was a joint venture between the prison and HOPE - a volunteer support group. The facility provided a meeting area, a children’s play area, toilets and baby changing facilities and a cafeteria where drinks and snacks were provided at reasonable cost. The prison had supplied the accommodation, furnishings, heating, lighting and maintenance while HOPE had taken on the day to day running with one paid employee and a number of volunteers who each gave one or two days per month.

6.84 The centre had been operating on a full time basis since July 1995 - prior to that date it had ony opened on a part time basis. As well as providing shelter and refreshment to prisoners’ visitors, information on a wide range of subjects and agencies was available. Volunteers were available to listen to individuals’ problems and to give advice as necessary. Two self-help groups of prisoners’ wives and friends had been formed and regularly met in the centre. Overall, it had proved to be a successful venture with some 8,000 visitors per year making some use of its facilities.

6.85 The funding for the HOPE Group came from trust funds together with a grant from Perth and Kinross Council. We were informed, however, that the future of that funding was under threat which brought into question the longer term viability of the centre.

(iv) Prisoners Visitors

6.86 As is our custom, we extended an invitation to meet with prisoners’ visitors. On this occasion our offer was taken up by several visitors who raised a number of issues and made suggestions on all aspects of visits and particularly the relationship between prisoners’ families and friends and the prison. We were presented with four pages of issues ranging from food and the need for baby chairs in the visit room to transport issues and these have been forwarded to the Governor for his consideration. Whilst there was a number of issues raised, the consensus was that under the circumstances, visiting conditions and staff attitudes at Perth compared favourably to those elsewhere in the SPS.

(v) Prison Visitors Scheme

6.87 A Prison Visitors Scheme was inaugurated in 1992 and had consisted of a number of local volunteers who visited those prisoners who had no regular visitors of their own. The scheme was sponsored by the Chaplaincy team who selected and offered guidance to the volunteers. We were informed, however, that the scheme had lapsed due to both a lack of prisoners coming forward to make use of the service and a failure to regulate and monitor the volunteer/prisoner relationship. Efforts were currently being made to revitalise the scheme and contact had been made with the volunteers who had previously been involved. Such schemes, properly run and monitored, have much to offer both individual prisoners and the establishment and we hope therefore that the Perth scheme can be reinstated in the near future.

Comment

6.88 Visit arrangements were impressive with every effort being made to maximise family contact. The physical condition of the main visit room was adequate though we understand that planning for a future upgrade is underway. The Visitors Centre, the only such facility in Scotland, added a further positive dimension to the importance of the families of prisoners and the influence they can bring to bear on prisoners’ attitudes and behaviour. We believe that it would be a major loss if it were to close for any reason. Although links between the HOPE group, who run the Centre, and prison management were sound, there is room for further development of the FCDO role.

Lifer Liaison Officer

6.89 The Lifer Liaison Officer (LLO) was a Unit Manager who had taken on this responsibility some six months prior to our inspection. His predecessor was acting as the Deputy LLO and there were plans to include the other Unit Manager who had responsibility for a long term Hall. The LLO had recently received training and was conversant with the Lifers’ Handbook.

6.90 The main responsibility of the LLO was to supply the Parole Board and the Discretionary Lifer Tribunal with information when life sentence prisoners were being considered for parole. Also, any requests either from Lifers or from SPS Custody Directorate for information on progress were channelled through the LLO.

6.91 We noted that a Young Lifers Group had been established by a member of the social work team and discussions were ongoing on how to meet the needs of other Lifers within the establishment. We suggest that consideration of that latter issue should be given a high degree of priority as there was a significant number of Lifers who would be affected.