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

Annex 6

OTHER AGENCIES INVOLVED WITH PENAL ESTABLISHMENTS

1. ALCOHOLICS

In the period covering this report, Alcoholics Anonymous has seen substantial

ANONYMOUS growth and development within our service parameters, especially with regard to our continued involvement in Scottish penal establishments. We have seen a growing commitment from many of our prison sponsors and co-ordinators and have been encouraged to see some of our newer members embrace this service. AA has recently put in place policies and procedures, which address the need for our people to be accountable to the security requirements of individual establishments. Each prison sponsor is now ratified by their local Intergroup and is required to make regular reports as per their areas of responsibility. Speakers are now required to have security clearance. Anyone now speaking in a prison in Scotland will be doing so with the cover of our fellowship and anyone who gives a presentation without that cover will not be recognised as representing Alcoholics Anonymous.

The past few months have seen the launch of our Scottish Prison Postal Service. This service will be co-ordinated and facilitated by one of our members working from our Regional Service Office (Scotland). It is envisaged that this service will help reduce the requirements for one to one visits from prison sponsors, whilst increasing the potential contact possibilities for prisoners. We have established very good relationships with some prison staff and are particularly pleased with the growing trust and rapport we have with several contacts within senior management at a number of establishments.

Alcoholics Anonymous participation in the Scottish Association for the Study of Delinquency weekend at Peebles, was our first opportunity to make interested parties aware or our Chit System. This system was developed for verifying that referred clients or those under a court supervision order had attended AA meetings. This System has been utilised for courts and probation, social services and industrial employment and could easily be used in other appropriate services. We have well established structures within our relationship with the prisons in Scotland and many of our Prison Sponsors have had years of service in this field. Our General Service Board members with special responsibility for this area are in regular contact with prison staff around Scotland, establishing contacts and informing them of what we have to offer those within the prison community still suffering from the chaotic disease of alcoholism.

Alcoholics Anonymous continues to meet annually with both the Scottish Executive and the Home Office and continues to participate at the Scottish Prison Officers Association Annual Conference and their counterparts in England and Wales. As of November 1999, AA is participating within 114 penal establishments throughout Great Britain.
Contact telephone number 0141 226 2214.

2. APEX Scotland Apex Scotland is the leading employment and training organisation specialising in work with offenders. They are involved in delivering a wide variety of services throughout the Scottish Prison Service, which are designed to increase the employability of the prisoner during their prison sentence, therefore increasing their chances of securing positive training, education or employment on release. Apex Scotland has two full time units based within HMP Edinburgh, which has a compliment of two staff (but due to increase to four in April 2000) and one member of staff based within HMYOI Polmont. All of the services delivered enhance and contribute to the throughcare and preparation for release work available within prison establishments. Other establishments are served by staff working from local Apex community units. Apex will extend external validation to relevant services in 2000.

Apex is conducting a consultancy study for Regimes Services, Scottish Prison Service on evidencing employability skills. This study works in complement to the occupational psychology service.
Contact telephone number: 0131 220 0130 and 0131 538 7790 or via the website at http://www.apexscotland.org.uk

3. EDINBURGH & LOTHIAN COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL

ELCA provides specialist alcohol counselling for offenders in the Lothians who are referred through the Criminal Justice System.
Contact telephone number: 0131 225 8888

4. THE HOPE GROUP

HOPE is a voluntary organisation which has been working within the Scottish Criminal Justice System since 1989. There are 9 local support groups (140 volunteers) who visit isolated and vulnerable prisoners and their families throughout Scotland. Other services are offered via the following projects:

HOPE Employment/Training (Advice & Counselling)

HOPE Training (Delivering approved basic skills qualifications)

HOPE Women's Project (Advice & Counselling for ex-offenders and female family members)

Perth Visitors Centre (Canteen & Creche facilities, Advice & Counselling)

Contact Joe O'Neil, Director of Services, 18 Stevenson Street West, Glasgow G40 2ST

Telephone Number: 0141 552 0229, Fax: 0141 552 1991.

Email: Hope.organisation@virgin.net

5. THE HOWARD LEAGUE FOR PENAL REFORM (SCOTLAND)

What the NHS and related services do for our individual physical and mental health is what the Howard League in Scotland would like to see being done for our social health. This means policies which reduce poverty and unemployment, policies which provide alternatives to crime and policies which, wherever possible, encourage both decriminalisation and diversion from the courts and the penal system. It also means policies that take full account of the victims of crime. On a wider front, the League aims to make known to the public, the media and workers in the field, that there is an alternative to punitive justice. It is time that we abandoned 19th century concepts of social control and replaced them by concepts of social regeneration. The inclusive society cannot have any other meaning.
Contact telephone numbers 0131 556 1687/0131 666 2316.

6. KIDS VIP

Kids VIP is a charity, which works in Scotland through a national co-ordinator, to enable relationships between children and their imprisoned parents to be sustained and developed.
Contact telephone number 0141 339 3428.

7. MOTHERS' UNION

The Mothers' Union works world-wide to support and help families and is now involved in over 76 prisons in the UK. This now includes HMP Edinburgh, HMP Perth and HMP Kilmarnock.
Contact telephone number 01828 627229

8. THE PAROLE BOARD

The Parole Board for Scotland exists under the provisions of the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989 and the prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993. The Board's principal functions are to direct and advise Scottish Ministers on:

The release on licence and recall from licence of persons serving sentences of imprisonment or detection whose cases are referred to the Board; the conditions of such licences and the variation and cancellation of such conditions; and any other matter so referred which is connected with the release and recall of such persons.

Under Rule 15 (3) of The Parole Board (Scotland) Rules 1993 and Rule 14 (3) of the 1995 Rules, each prisoner whose case has been referred to the Board is entitled to be interviewed by a Board member prior to the case being considered at a meeting of the Board. The members of the Board visit each prison establishment which holds parole eligible prisoners in order to conduct such interviews.
Contact telephone number: 0131 244 8755.

9. PRISON FELLOWSHIP SCOTLAND

Prison Fellowship Scotland (PFS) is a Christian, interdenominational, voluntary organisation and a Scottish Registered Charity. It is a charter member of Prison Fellowship International which works in 88 countries world-wide. PFS aims to support the work of the church and chaplains in serving the needs of prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families. A few of the major activities of the nearly 300 volunteers and five staff include:

**Taking part in regular in-prison meetings as part of a team. This happens in all
but two of Scotland's prisons.

**Befriending/helping ex-prisoners and their families through weekly 'drop-in' meetings in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee. During 2000 it is planned to extend
these to Perth and Inverness.

Publications include a newsletter 'JUBILEE' printed 3 times yearly with a circulation of about 3,000.

Contact telephone/fax number: 0141 332 8870 (from April 2000: 0141 552 1288)
Email: pfscotland@cqm.co.uk

10. THE PRISON REFORM TRUST

The Prison Reform Trust (PRT) is a research, educational and campaigning charity. Its aim is to help create a just, humane and effective penal system in all parts of Britain. PRT's work divides into three main categories: a wide-ranging research and publications programme; offering advice and information to prisoners, their friends and relatives, prison staff and the wider public; and taking up issues with Governors, officials in HQ and Ministers. PRT produces, in conjunction with the Prison Service in England and Wales, prisoners' information books which are available to all prisoners. PRT also publishes a quarterly magazine, Prison Report.
Contact telephone number 020 7251 5070.

11. SACRO SACRO is a national voluntary organisation promoting community safety through developing and providing a range of effective services to reduce conflict and offending. By using its knowledge and experience, it informs change in criminal justice and social policy. Its services include:

1. Supported accommodation in Aberdeen, Inverness, Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow, Orkney and Falkirk.

2. Mediation and Reparation services in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Motherwell, Airdrie and Hamilton which offer an alternative to court proceedings as a means of settling offences. Young Offender Mediation Projects are run in Fife and the Highlands.

3. Community Mediation services in Edinburgh, Fife, Aberdeen and Orkney.

4. Groupwork: Alternative to Custody, Domestic Violence and Sex-Offender Groupwork in Falkirk, Clackmannan and Stirling and Alcohol Education in Edinburgh.

5. Community supervision, including bail services, which in partnership with Edinburgh and Midlothian and Glasgow offers the courts supervision and accommodation (not hostels) in the community for accused persons who are likely to be or have been remanded in custody.

6. Voluntary Throughcare in Edinburgh and Glasgow offering voluntary assistance and support for ex-offenders, work with families of prisoners, befriending prisoners and ex-offenders, induction and pre-release programmes in prison. A pilot scheme "Staying Together" has been successfully completed at HMP Barlinnie. It aims to help prisoners and their families prepare for release. In addition, transport services operate from Edinburgh and Glasgow and visit 13 penal establishments and the State Hospital at Carstairs.
Contact telephone number 0131 624 7270

12. SALVATION ARMY

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an integral part of the Christian Church. Within the Criminal Justice System in Scotland, it provides a network of Salvation Army Prison Visiting Ministries who offer pastoral visits to prisoners and can be a support resource to prison staff, chaplains and social workers. Care and support to prisoners' families is also provided and is continuing to be developed.

During 1999-2000, a total of 17 prisoners received training for freedom in four of our centres prior to release. Accommodation was provided for 136 prisoners in 11 of our centres. Some prisoners used these centres for their home-leave entitlement while others received training in social skills, leading to independent living in the community. Supervised accommodation through our Inverness Bail Service was offered to 20 individuals from various parts of Scotland and England. The Family Tracing Service was used by some prisoners and care and support including transport was offered to over 60 families. Salvation Army bands and some choirs took part in 11 prison carol services over the Christmas period.

Since 1997, the Salvation Army's National Addiction Service, in partnership with the Division of Psychiatry, University of Kent, have been carrying out research and developing programmes to help those who have addictive behavioural problems. Some of this work has been carried out at Fewster House, Greenock, and a number of prisoners on release have taken part in these programmes.

Over recent months, a consultant has been assisting the Army in carrying out a review of The Salvation Army Pastoral Ministry and Community Care Services for prisoners and their families in Scotland.
Contact telephone number 0141 779 5000, Fax number 0141 779 5011.

13. SAMARITANS

Working Together

The Samaritan organisation was founded in 1953 to provide a non-judgmental listening ear to those passing through a personal crisis and in imminent danger of taking their own lives.

The Samaritan vision states: Fewer people will take their own lives because:-

• Samaritan befriending is always available at any hour of the day or night for all those passing through personal crisis and at risk of dying by suicide.
• Samaritans provide society with a better understanding of suicide, suicidal behaviour and the value of expressing feelings that may lead to suicide.

In reaching out to those vulnerable groups who have difficulty accessing our service the Samaritans seek to provide direct befriending to those serving a custodial sentence and ultimately to implement and maintain Prisoner Listener Schemes within prison establishments.

To achieve this aim a special working relationship has been established with the Scottish Prison Service which is building on the strengths of both organisations in order to care more pro-actively for vulnerable prisoners. The revised Suicide Risk Management Act and Care provides the vehicle for the work currently undertaken today.

Since the first Listener Scheme was implemented in HMP Edinburgh in
June 1994, eight other schemes have been implemented which are maintained and supported by the Samaritans. The prisons involved are Barlinnie, Cornton Vale, Glenochil, Greenock, Noranside, Perth, Inverness and Shotts.

Over 115 prisoners have been selected and trained to undertake this work, gaining skills and knowledge and achieving a level of competence and confidence which enables them to provide high quality care to fellow prisoners. This venture has surpassed all expectations and great credit must be given to every one of these prisoners who has stepped forward in the face of much adversity.

Listeners abide by The Samaritan Principles and Practices, including that of absolute confidentiality and by becoming involved have made a difference within each establishment, which is to be commended.

Samaritan volunteers are specially selected and trained before commencing prison support work.

We will not prevent all deaths by suicide but must never be complacent. We will continue to work together with the Scottish Prison Service to assist in developing suicide awareness with all those involved and be confident that the Act and Care is a living strategy which will help to protect the vulnerable in custody.
Contact telephone number 0141 248 4488

14. SAVE THE CHILDREN The Save the Children Fund (SCF) is an international relief and development organisation committed to advancing children's rights. The majority of children with a parent in prison experience a range of problems, material and emotional. SCF seeks to work in partnership with others to gather information and promote changes which will further the rights of children with parents in prison, to 'maintain personal relations and direct contact with both parents on a regular basis, except if it is contrary to the child's best interests' (the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989).
Contact telephone number 0131 527 8200, Fax 0131 527 8201.
Email: www.savethechildren.org.uk.

15. SCOTTISH CONSORTIUM ON CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

The recently formed Scottish Consortium on Crime and Criminal Justice is a partnership between Apex Scotland, The Howard League (Scotland), SACRO, Scottish Human Rights Centre and Victim Support Scotland. A number of other organisations and individuals are associated with the work of the Consortium, e.g. by participating in working groups. The Consortium is funded by grants from charitable trusts.

The founding members of the Consortium represent a broad spectrum of interests including how best to reduce offending, community safety, the handling of offenders, the protection of civil liberties, the proper treatment of victims of crime and the effectiveness of the criminal justice system as a whole. The establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Executive is an opportunity for greatly enhanced public dialogue on policy and practice in relation to crime and criminal justice. The Consortium was established, therefore, to develop the widest achievable base of information and ideas on which to carry out that dialogue.

A central concern underlying its work is to reduce the incidence and impact of crime in society as far as is reasonably possible by whatever morally acceptable means can be shown to be most effective. The Consortium therefore seeks to embrace the broadest range of issues relating to crime and criminal justice and to those affected by crime or involved in the criminal justice process. By drawing on the wide range of experience and concerns of its members, it aims to produce analyses which will foster open dialogue and help the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Parliament to develop a comprehensive policy for crime and criminal justice based on consistency, principle and the best available factual information.
Contact Telephone Number: 0131 666 2316

16. SCOTTISH FORUM ON PRISONS AND FAMILIES

Imprisonment adversely affects many of the families who become involved in the Criminal Justice System. It is estimated that over 13,000 children in Scotland each year are affected by the imprisonment of a parent.

The Scottish Forum on Prisons and Families is a voluntary organisation established in 1990 to address the needs of children, partners and other family members of prisoners. The Forum explores with prisoners, their families and prison staff, the particular needs of all members in a family of whom one is imprisoned and promotes best practice in support of these needs.
Contact telephone number 0131 527 8211
Prisoners Families Information Line Freephone 0500 839383

17. SCOTTISH HUMAN RIGHTS CENTRE

The Scottish Human Rights Centre is a non party-political members' organisation, which works for the development of human rights in Scotland. The Centre carries out research, produces publications and provides advice, education and information on a wide range of human rights issues. Part of this work includes monitoring prison conditions and the operation of the Scottish criminal justice system. Members of the public are welcome to use the Centre's human rights library, which is open from 2-5 pm, Monday to Friday.
Contact telephone number 0141 332 5960.

18. TOYBOX

Groups of Toybox volunteers run play schemes in prison visits rooms in a number of Scottish prisons.
Contact telephone number 0141 339 3428.

19. WRVS

This volunteer service provides refreshments for prisoners' visitors in eight establishments and assists with the provision of toys and transport for families. Clothing assistance for released prisoners is also given in some areas by special arrangement.
Contact telephone number 0131 558 8028.

20. THE PRISONS VISITORS SCHEME

The scheme is normally administered by prison chaplains but those interested in becoming a prison visitor should in the first instance contact the Governor-in-Charge of the relevant establishment.

Any enquiries or comments about this publication should be made to:-

HM Prisons Inspectorate
Room M1/6
Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD
Telephone: 0131 244 8481
Fax: 0131 244 8446

E-Mail: clive.fairweather@scotland.gov.uk

Internet: www.scotland.gov.uk/hmip

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