THE chief inspector for Scottish prisons has warned the number of people in custody is projected to soar in the next year, with overcrowding being a…
THE chief inspector for Scottish prisons has warned the number of people in custody is projected to soar in the next year, with overcrowding being a key factor.In her fifth annual report, released on Wednesday, Sinclair-Gieben said in February 2019 the overall number of inmates spanning Scotland’s 15 prisons exceeded 8000 for the first time since 2013.The inspector said the prison population had reduced for a number of years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The reason I and my predecessors have focused strongly on overcrowding is that it affects every part of the criminal justice system, in particular the risk to the community. She cited the new women’s prison at HMP Stirling, which opened in June 2023, adding Scotland “has the potential to lead the way in managing women in custody”.
Sinclair-Gieben said: “GEOAmey experienced significant staffing challenges and we witnessed an inadequate service performance impacting heavily on prisons and prisoners with cancelled hospital appointments, inter-prison transfers, and late arrivals into prisons. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We welcome this annual report which recognises the improvements made to the female prison estate in the past year, including the opening of HMP YOI Stirling and community custody units in Dundee and Glasgow, supporting the delivery of world leading, trauma-informed care and management for women in custody.
A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: “We welcome the chief inspector’s report and her continuing recognition of the outstanding work of our staff in challenging circumstances, particularly in the face of a rising population.
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