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Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland: Report for 1999-2000

3.15 Low Security Establishments (North and East)

HMP Friarton as at March 2000 (previous formal inspection January 1995)

As part of the rationalisation of the SPS, it was announced in November 1999 that Friarton would no longer have its own Governor I/C. With effect from December 1999 it became a satellite hall of HMP Perth.

In July 2000, following a £2 million refurbishment, it is due to assume the role previously assigned to HMP Dungavel.

3.16 Low Security Establishments (South and West)

HMP Dungavel as at March 2000 (previous formal inspection March 1995)

In November 1999 it was announced that HMP Dungavel would be closed on
3 July 2000, when its role would be assumed by what was formerly HMP Friarton, which is now a satellite of HMP Perth. A brief follow up inspection was carried out on
3 March 2000 to establish that the hard won achievement of creating Scotland's first drug free prison was being maintained and that the lessons learned would not be lost on closure.

It was extremely encouraging to note that the percentage of the population being tested every month had continued to rise. A year ago, we had remarked that more than 30% of the prison population at Dungavel were drug tested every month. This was a major factor in what we described as a quite remarkable turn round in the level of drug misuse in the establishment _ from 62% positive in January 1998 to an average of 11% in the first 3 months of 1999. In September 1999, 86% of the population had been tested and only 4 tests in total were positive, only one of which was a random test. In the following 2 months, there were no positive random tests. Of the 381 tests carried out between September 1999 and the end of January 2000, only 27 tests were positive (of which only 3 were random tests). The average population during this period was 111.

A report "Tackling Drugs in HMP Dungavel _ Policy and Practice" has been produced by the Deputy Governor which provides analysis of the issues and describes the practical steps taken at Dungavel. This should inform the development of a successful, integrated approach elsewhere in the SPS.

Plans for the rundown of prisoner numbers had been put in place, with a population of 98 remaining at the time of our visit. One third of these were 'D' category prisoners who were awaiting transfer to Castle Huntly and Noranside. The remaining 'C' category prisoners would be assessed for security category upgrading and transferred to open conditions if appropriate. The remaining balance of 'C' category prisoners were expected to be transferred to Friarton Hall at Perth Prison by 3 July 2000.

As prisoner numbers are run down, staff will be released for training to ensure that core competencies are fully up to date prior to their transfer to other SPS prisons. Staff to whom we spoke expressed their disappointment about the decision to close what they felt was a successful establishment and one which had met or exceeded the challenging targets it had been set. They also expressed their determination to ensure that the high standards would be maintained until the closure. The morale and positive attitude displayed by staff at Dungavel reflects the efforts of the local management team and the sensitive way that staff transfers have been managed by the SPS project team. The success of Dungavel in addressing drug misuse in prison has set a benchmark against which other top end regimes can now be measured.

The central issue in the report of the formal inspection in 1998 had been the need for high level decisions to be made about whether the prison continued to occupy its present site and in what form. This is a matter that has not yet been resolved, though we understand it is now being addressed as part of a strategic review of the SPS estate (prompted by the re-ordering of priorities and the consequent redeployment of £13 million of SPS accumulated underspends on other initiatives across the Justice programme). The remit of the Estate Review Team includes the examination of options for the Low Moss site, such as refurbishment on site or a replacement prison. The recommendations of the Review Team are expected to be presented to the SPS Board in May 2000 which, in the case of this particular establishment, is critical, as most of the wooden huts are approaching, or are beyond, the end of their economic life. The kitchen in particular is showing signs of requiring urgent attention.

With its close proximity to Glasgow, Low Moss continues to be an invaluable location offering a variety of options for the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, the previous intermediate inspection had highlighted a surprisingly high level of drug misuse amongst its prisoners and high staff sickness levels. At that time, serious assaults and bullying had made it Scotland's most violent prison, with the configuration of the dormitories a major contributory factor. Neither was there any mechanism to identify objectively the aggregated needs of the prisoners, two thirds of whom were serving sentences of less than 9 months (though in effect, undergoing long sentences by instalment, as recidivism rates are very high). The climate of industrial relations was poor, in spite of the recognition that the confrontational approach that prevailed was less than helpful.

At the start of this inspection, it was soon apparent that there was a tangible improvement in the atmosphere of the prison. This was due to a number of factors, including low prisoner numbers as a result of an operational decision to reduce the size of the Low Moss population over the millennium period. Substantial investment in the fabric and facilities had also gone some way to reducing uncertainty about the immediate future of the prison and a new Governor had been appointed last summer.

Temporary, cellular accommodation had been erected on site and was scheduled to be used as a drug free area for up to 50 prisoners. Those prisoners to whom we spoke welcomed this development, rated it as a considerable improvement and said it would significantly enhance their personal safety. They also said that low numbers meant that the dormitories were much less crowded and violent - a situation they thought was unlikely to continue when the prison population returned to normal levels.

A programme of maintenance and refurbishment to dormitories and other areas was underway in an attempt to improve conditions, particularly in ablution and recreation areas. Whilst we welcome these improvements, we remain firmly of the view that dormitory accommodation is wholly inappropriate and have expressed this view to the Estate Review Team.

There had been some improvements to staff facilities and the new Governor had been able to develop and impart to staff some optimism about the future. There was also a recognition and acceptance in principle that there would need to be changes in the way the establishment operated, if further investment was to be secured. A major constraint in the implementation of change, however, was the high level of staff absence. Although local absence management procedures were being followed, it was acknowledged that these were not sufficiently effective and would be superseded in due course by a nationally agreed procedure.

Changes to the prisoner profile had not yet been matched in the composition of staff and their deployment. For example, the number of prisoners requiring to answer outstanding charges in court had risen substantially, but this had not been reflected in additional escort staff to carry this out. This meant that continuity of staffing, which is essential for programme delivery, could not be achieved as staff were deployed on other more urgent duties. Therefore, a major opportunity to do something about reducing future offending rates was being missed and this was a major source of frustration for Residential staff. The additional workload also meant that time off for Operations staff was uncertain and unpredictable and they expected that the programme of prison closures would result in far fewer opportunities for advancement.

We were disappointed to discover that there was still not enough nursing staff to operate a drug detoxification programme, in spite of the very obvious and long-standing need for such a service. Indeed, we find it extraordinary that Low Moss, with a projected prisoner population of up to 350, has less than half the nursing staff of HMP Greenock, which has a capacity of 260. We hope, therefore, when nursing staff are redeployed from the establishments which are closing, that Low Moss is given priority.

In summary, we detect a significant change in the operation of Low Moss. Uncertainty about the future has, to an extent, been reduced by the announcement of an option appraisal and more tangibly, by the provision of temporary cellular accommodation. Additional funds have been provided for the installation of CCTV in the dormitories, which has reduced the incidence of violence. This year, there have been 10 serious assaults in 10 months, whereas last year there had been 21 in 12 months (though the reduced number of prisoners may be a contributory factor in this most welcome state of affairs). There had been one incident of concerted indiscipline since our last inspection, when a number of prisoners had indulged in riotous behaviour. However, four prisoners had been identified as the main perpetrators and had been charged by the police - a good example of success being gained by the aggressive use of intelligence and improved liaison.

The regime remains impoverished and in spite of recent cohesive and thorough planning, little is currently being done to address offending behaviour, particularly drug related crime. This is largely because staff are being deployed on security and control tasks which are inconsistently applied and often disproportionate to the risk presented.

We understand the Governor has discussed plans with the Area Director to improve further the establishment's overall performance, especially with regard to continuity of care. Thus, work that could be started in prison should be able to be continued in the community, thereby reducing not only the incidence of future crime, but also the number of men who die from a drug overdose shortly after their return to the community. To achieve these goals, however, better use of existing resources, as well as a modest amount of additional resources, would be necessary. This would unlock Low Moss' potential to make a significant contribution to the work of the SPS.

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