HMIP Annual Report 1997-98

10. Conclusions

10.1 During 1997-98, the SPS has continued to protect the public from those violent and persistent criminals who were held in its custody, thereby fulfilling its primary mission. There were no escapes from a closed establishment, whilst our formal and intermediate inspections have recorded steady progress on a wide variety of issues at most establishments.

10.2 Overcrowding was once more a dominant issue, with 6 establishments particularly affected, though levels were lower than sustained in 1996-97. This was mainly brought about by delaying the rolling refurbishment programme which was planned at several of the larger establishments, though this dictates that ‘slopping out’ will now have to go on for much longer. Some relief could be in sight with the opening of HMP Kilmarnock in Spring 1999, but if the number of prisoners continues to edge up as predicted and as the refurbishment programme recommences, it may become necessary to build more houseblocks within existing perimeters at several locations (as is being undertaken at Edinburgh and which might be considered as a priority for Aberdeen and possibly Low Moss). At Polmont, where there were high levels of overcrowding for the second year running, the upgrading of two of its older Halls is becoming urgent.

10.3 Drug misuse is a common problem at most prisons, though there is evidence that the number of regular cannabis users would appear to have been reducing over the last year. This is a harm reduction success which may be connected to the introduction of random MDT, though the various efforts of Governors and staff in implementing a wide range of other substance misuse strategies could also be having their effect. Looking to the future, we believe that a mixture of MDT, education, addiction programmes and incentives, together with the power of family influence, could help turn the tide which previously has been threatening to engulf the penal system. We believe that prison could and should become a much more positive opportunity to reduce illegal drug use in the community. Some establishments might even be able to contribute to a reduction in their own levels of overcrowding, if prisoners were able to finish sentences with their drug habits having been curtailed or reduced. This could lead to a drop in repeat crime after release.

10.4 There were fewer suicides than in 1996-97, though the attrition rate was still extremely high. We suggest that priority should be given to anti-suicide measures which concern remand prisoners, as they would appear to be most at risk on a daily basis. In particular, the strategy which has been adopted at Cornton Vale should be emulated, whereby all remand prisoners are treated initially as being at risk. (This measure was introduced following the appalling number of suicides at this establishment, most of which were among remands)

10.5 The number of serious assaults has continued to be high, many of which were probably related to drugs and drug dealing. In common with all members of management and prison staff, we would like to see these levels further reduced and believe this could be achieved via better co-ordination and emphasis on some of the measures described elsewhere in this report. Equally, we have been impressed with staff/prisoner relationships in this and recent years. This situation should further improve as closer and less harsh atmospheres are created in refurbished Halls - and as has already been evidenced at Perth and Barlinnie.

10.6 In parallel, we have been encouraged by the centrally directed steps which are being taken to provide more meaningful employment opportunities at many locations. At a local level, we would also wish to highlight the timetabling approach which has been adopted at Shotts and which is now likely to be embraced at Barlinnie in the near future.

10.7 We have been encouraged by many of the improvements to staff training which have begun to emerge. More particularly, it has been heartening to note that it is now accepted that prison officers require special training for working with female prisoners. The same applies for those dealing with young male offenders and in our opinion, specialised training such as this should help change the culture of the SPS (far more perhaps, than many of the organisational changes to which the service has been exposed in recent years).

10.8 One of the themes which consistently emerges from this report and many of its predecessors, is the unfavourable - and often demeaning - conditions which remand prisoners are having to endure. Where there is overcrowding, these prisoners are the ones most likely to be crammed two and three to cells designed for single occupancy, or even mixed in with convicted prisoners, as is now a fairly commonplace occurrence at Aberdeen. In turn, at some hard-pressed establishments they receive little or no treatment for drug problems, they figure prominently among suicides and because they are not required to work, are often locked in their cells for unacceptably long periods throughout the day and night. During the course of the year we were pleased to see that several individual Governors had attempted to improve the conditions in which remand prisoners were being held. Nevertheless we suggest that performance indicators for this category of prisoner should be re-established.

10.9 As the financial year closes and despite the imminent creation of 500 new places at Kilmarnock, we sense that overcrowding still continues to overshadow confidence in much of what the SPS is trying to achieve. If prisoner levels continue to rise, a lack of capacity - and more importantly the staff to deal with them - might help to smother the many encouraging attempts at drug and other forms of rehabilitation which are now being made by the SPS. In turn, this would reduce the protection that prisons are increasingly expected to give to the public. More attention therefore needs to be given to alternatives to custody, together with extra places in the community for those individuals who have been remanded for petty or non-threatening alleged offences. In this respect, we have been much encouraged by the response to our report on women offenders which was published earlier this year. It would appear that there is an acceptance that not only should this minority group of prisoners have its population halved via these sort of measures, but that many of the principles included in the report should apply to male prisoners.