GENERAL ASSESSMENT

1. In the report of our 1997 formal inspection of this establishment, we had expressed concern about the prison’s reputation for violence and incidents. This, coupled with the variety and nature of prisoners being held, together with the high levels of overcrowding and many years of neglect of its fabric, rendered it, in our perception, to be a very complex establishment. The Inspectorate’s report had been critical of a number of areas and had highlighted in particular, the need for a major injection of resources to undertake a number of important refurbishment and security projects. We are pleased to report, therefore, that since the time of that inspection there has been a considerable and very marked improvement in the vast majority of areas which had come in for criticism. Indeed we would go so far as saying that in recent years, this was the most significant amount of change in any one establishment that has been noted in the first year after a formal inspection.

2. When we inspected earlier in 1997, ‘D’ Hall had been closed for refurbishment and was contributing greatly to a reduction in the prisons capacity. However, because prisoner numbers were high throughout the SPS, there was considerable overcrowding in other parts of the establishment, which in our view was contributing to an atmosphere of general tension and turbulence throughout the prison. On this latest visit, we noted that this refurbishment had been completed and that two smaller and self-contained Halls - i.e. ‘B’ and ‘D’ - had been created within the structure of the former ‘D’ Hall. These new facilities were impressive and a fine example of what can be achieved with a Victorian building, provided the appropriate resources are made available. The new Halls now provide first class accommodation and it was quite noticeable that there was a major improvement in the overall atmosphere within these areas, with staff and prisoners both alluding to a cultural change which was having a very positive impact on relationships. Overcrowding throughout the prison had reduced from 50% to 14%, though the Governor referred us to a more recent upward trend.

3. It was not just in the new Halls that change was evident. Since our inspection, ‘C’ Hall, which had been the subject of some of our most severe criticism and described as ‘disgraceful’, had been repainted and the cells had been provided with new furniture. It was very clear that positive efforts were being made to maintain standards as witnessed by the fact that each cell now had notices permanently fixed to the wall. These notices give an inventory of prison issue items which should be contained in each cell, together with cleaning schedules and standards that had to be achieved. The absence of any graffiti was another indicator that standards were being maintained and monitored on a regular basis by staff. Equally, following the re-opening of ‘B’ and ‘D’ Halls, the opportunity had been taken to shift remand and protection prisoners out of ‘C’ Hall, which meant that in addition to a reduction in the overall population, there was no longer the complex mix of prisoners as had been there previously, and who had presented such a variety of management problems.

4. We understand that a Strategic Bid has been made for ‘A’ Hall as the next phase of the major refurbishment programme for the establishment. This, we were told, is likely to commence during the next financial year, subject to final approval by the Prisons Board.

5. We were impressed by the general levels of cleanliness throughout the establishment, a situation which had been helped by the introduction of an Industrial Cleaning Party. Prisoners working in that Party were provided with training, which could also help them secure employment on release. In turn, they were undertaking very regular cleaning duties in all parts of the Prison, whilst more recently Hall passmen were also required to complete the Industrial Cleaning Party Course before being allocated to this particular employment.

6. We had previously referred to concern, including that expressed by public figures and the media, about the increasing frequency with which violence and other incidents were occurring throughout the prison. It was, therefore, extremely satisfying to note a significant improvement and we considered that great strides had been achieved with regards to good order. There had been 17 reportable prisoner on prisoner assaults over the last 10 months - compared to 31 for the 12 months prior to that - seven of which were classified as being serious, compared to 26 for the previous year. Over this same period, there had been no serious assaults on staff compared to two for the previous year whilst it was equally encouraging, with just over two months of the year to go, that there had been 30% fewer misconduct reports than for the previous year. We were also greatly re-assured by the significant developments which had been taking place in the Health Centre and for which a more detailed report is available at Annex 1. The main area still to be addressed is the staffing for a 5 day opening of the Day Care Unit, but once this is achieved - and we were assured this was not far away - the Centre will be even more closely integrated with the rest of the prison. We noted that there had been one suicide over the past 12 months (compared to two in the previous year).

7. Further evidence of an improved working environment for staff was the reduction in the average number of days lost through sick absence - only 12.1 days per staff member compared with 14.4 days during the year leading up to our formal inspection.

8. Mandatory Drug Testing has now been in operation for over a year and positive results from random tests over the last six months have averaged 37%, half of which were for cannabis only. Although the MDT process appeared to be operating efficiently, there was a worrying suggestion that, in an attempt to reduce the likelihood of detection, prisoners might now be moving much more towards opiate/heroin consumption, though there was no evidence to suggest any increase in intravenous use. There is local concern, which we share, that in due course, it may become necessary to revisit the punishment schedules for cannabis and heroin, the aim of which would be to increase the incentives for eschewing ‘class A’ drugs. This would of course require central direction.

9. In our previous report, we had suggested that there must be improvement in the induction arrangements for remand prisoners and for general sentence planning procedures. On this latest occasion we noted that a new induction process, in the form of a questionnaire, had been introduced for short-term prisoners and that a programme for remand prisoners was currently being drawn up. On sentence planning, Perth was currently piloting the new Risk/Needs Assessment process which was to be introduced across the SPS as part of the re-invigorated Sentence Planning Scheme, with 24 prisoners involved in this process at the time of our visit. An evaluation of that pilot was scheduled for April 1998 and it was local management’s intention to continue to use the system after the trial period, pending its official introduction in late 1998.

10. With regard to our previous concerns about the limited availability of offending behaviour programmes, we were gratified to find that the range and availability of such programmes had been significantly increased and that consequently, waiting lists had been reduced substantially . Likewise, a more structured approach to pre-release arrangements had resulted in the creation and delivery of such programmes, involving considerable input from outside agencies such as Apex, Welfare Rights, Sacro and the Perth Job Centre. (The extent of progress and commitment to prisoner programme delivery within the establishment can be demonstrated by the production of a highly informative ‘Prisoner Programmes News’ sheet designed to inform staff of progress in relation to all aspects of related programme developments; a recent copy is shown at Annex 2 to this report.)

11. We visited the industrial work parties where we observed a physical environment which could be described as being ‘adequate’. Nevertheless, it was our impression, as a consequence of the larger numbers now involved in offending behaviour programmes on a daily basis, that the number of regime opportunities for prisoners had in fact increased. Moreover, unlike our observations during the formal inspection, most prisoners in the work parties now appeared to be fully employed; for example, far fewer could be seen wandering around the sheds.

12. Unfortunately, there had been no progress on the improvements which were required in the laundry. Staff and prisoners working there still had to cope with old machines which regularly broke down, thereby limiting the amount of work being carried out, including the level of service provided to other establishments. Management was of the view that if the appropriate resources were made available, then not only could an appropriate level of service be maintained but also that there would be scope for moving into the area of commercial laundry contracts.

13. Another development since our inspection had been the refurbishment of the visits room with new floor coverings: old furniture had also been replaced by low tables and more comfortable seating, which gave the entire area a much more relaxed atmosphere and which we were told were much appreciated by both prisoners and their visitors. Part of the area had also been sectioned off to extend the Agents’ visit facilities, which meant that additional visits could now take place without the need for extra staff. We took the opportunity to speak with a visiting Agent who confirmed that she found these new arrangements entirely satisfactory, whereas previously some had asked to speak to the Inspectorate in February 1997 to express their extreme dissatisfaction.

14. Allied to these new visit facilities, we noted that four FCDOs had been appointed, of whom one was always on duty when visits were taking place. The FCDO formed part of the visits staffing complement and we believe that the efforts of the FCDOs in developing contacts with prisoners’ families had helped to play a part in the creation of the more relaxed atmosphere which was now evident in the visits area and elsewhere throughout the prison. We were pleased to learn that there were further ambitious plans to develop these contacts.

15. On general matters of security, we noted that work had now started on the construction announced in June 1997, of a new Segregation Unit (following 16 years where the present separate cells had repeatedly been described as ‘unacceptable’). Similarly, we were told that the Governor was also submitting a Strategic Bid for funding to enable the perimeter wall to be extended in line with the Recommendation contained in our 1997 report. Meanwhile, CCTV cameras which had been installed at various locations in ‘C’ Hall, were continuing to have a positive deterrent and detection effect on overall levels of violence and other incidents in that area. These, we were told, will also be extended soon to areas of the newly refurbished B/D Halls.

16. In the report of our formal inspection, we had commented on the fact that the current Management team, who had only come together shortly before that inspection, were working well together. One year on, it was evident that their close teamwork and coordination were bearing very significant fruit. These coupled with the evident enthusiasm and commitment of staff are probably the most important factors which have helped move the establishment so rapidly forward.

17. Further progress is of course still expected, particularly the elimination of boredom on the part of prisoners, which may be an added stimulant to drug abuse, more especially at week-ends.

CLIVE FAIRWEATHER

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland