13. GENERAL ASSESSMENT

13.1 Our 1993 formal inspection report had concluded that Aberdeen was a well run establishment, with good morale among prisoners and staff and we are pleased to record that that was a situation which we found still obtained. Indeed, in our opinion Management and staff were working even more closely and effectively than before, which was fortunate given the new turbulence and pressures now being created by the increasing numbers of drug dependant prisoners and a burgeoning population. Although Aberdeen is a comparatively small prison, it holds a wide mix of male and female remands, short-term male and female and long-term convicted male prisoners, together with YOs awaiting transfer and PADs.

13.2 It would appear, in fact, that overcrowding had now become a permanent feature of this establishment. Unfortunately, however, investment had not been keeping pace with that trend and if numbers continue to increase, it is likely that the prison could shortly reach a situation whereby it is unable to provide a balanced regime. Standards of accommodation in both Halls were found generally to be satisfactory, though we were greatly concerned to find that because of the constant overcrowding, remand prisoners sometimes had to be held in the convicted Hall and that situation cannot be sustained indefinitely. At the very least, more robust contingency planning needs to be undertaken at national level to address this critical issue, though we suspect that construction of an extra accommodation block may well become inevitable.

13.3 Another effect of the overcrowding is that the visits area, which has previously been recognised as being too small for the size of the prisoner population, can now only be described as wholly inadequate. Also in this report we have commented on the unacceptable working conditions in the Gate and have suggested that the way to address this problem is through the provision of a new Operations Room - which was the subject of a recommendation in our 1993 report. Similarly, we considered the staff facilities to be too small and cramped. In our opinion, the solution to these problems is via the construction of a new combined Operations Room/Visits area/staff facilities complex and we so recommend. Given the accommodation problems also being experienced in the Health Centre, we believe that consideration should also be given to the provision of some additional health care facilities within such a new complex.

13.4 Some relatively minor aspects of security have been expressed in a letter to the Governor and to the Head of Custody in SPS Headquarters. We were pleased to note that the recommendations of an SPS perimeter security audit were being addressed.

13.5 We were relieved to find that serious violence was not a common occurrence, a situation which compared very favourably with that found in several other local prisons. Suicide was, however, an increasing trend and over the last three years there had been four apparent such incidents among remands for which no common cause has been established. We were, however, reassured by the prison’s anti-suicide strategy and noted that the local Samaritans were now becoming far more involved. Nevertheless, we assessed that there was a growing need for a Day Care Facility, with appropriate levels of additional staffing, for all at risk prisoners both male and female.

13.6 Given the high incidence of drug misuse and injecting in the North-East of Scotland, an addictions worker was included in our inspection team in order to provide more specific focus on trends inside the prison. Subsequently, we reached the conclusion that there were variations in drug levels and habits but that the tough enforcement policies which were in place were having a generally positive and commendable effect. However, we felt that there needed to be more clarification and consistency in detoxification protocols whilst the lack of any drug free area is a very major limitation to the long-term effectiveness of any such approach. The local Drugs Co-ordinator also requires more full-time assistance and families ought to be more involved in the prison’s anti-drug strategy - particularly as release dates approach. Throughcare strategies could also be improved and further joint SPS/local authority funding arrangements would be most welcome. In our view, there is no doubt that this prison - with its particular compactness and location - has much greater potential to be exploited as an opportunity to influence change and help reduce substance abuse which in turn, may contribute to a reduction in crime. However, if that goal is to be fully realised, together with a reduction in hazards to public health (eg, HIV and Hepatitis), a much more co-ordinated community approach will be paramount.

13.7 We considered arrangements in the Education Unit to be generally satisfactory with a reasonably balanced curriculum. We noted, with some satisfaction, that the range and type of work available had improved greatly since our previous formal inspection and all convicted prisoners were occupied though not all the work could be described as meaningful. Some of the work opportunities tended to be dull or repetitive rather than providing skills which might be useful on release - and which therefore might contribute to some reduction in recidivism - with the range of work for female prisoners being particularly demeaning and disappointing. Additionally, the physical condition of the worksheds was poor. The Social Work Unit was providing a good service but like the medical staff, could have had better working conditions, particularly for interviewing prisoners. Offending behaviour programmes would also benefit from much better co-ordination.

13.8 We found the Management team to be both experienced and enthusiastic and working as a particularly close and effective team, though we did consider that the span of control of the Residential Unit Manager might usefully be reviewed. We were also much heartened and impressed by the staff who, despite the many pressures which had been brought about by overcrowding, were somehow managing to cope; that staff sickness levels were so low also spoke volumes for their professionalism. Equally, we found that the local staff training system was among the best we had encountered in the SPS in recent times.

13.9 We offer the concluding remarks that we found a prison which was coping well despite a number of difficulties outwith its control, including an increase in drug-related local crime. It should also not be forgotten that the prison serves a city which is the third largest in Scotland and that it is the receiving establishment for virtually the whole of the North-East of Scotland; for that reason, further central investment ought to be provided on a better scale, whereas it seems that in this respect, it may be slipping behind other comparable prisons.

13.10 A list of Recommendations and Points of Note is attached, though it should be noted that separately, a letter which refers to a number of minor concerns has also been sent to the Governor.