Conditions worsening at Cornton Vale women's prison - report

Published on Tuesday 14 June 2011 15:38

SCOTLAND'S only all-female jail continues to be overcrowded and prisoners are still not getting the best treatment, despite an inspection report highlighting the failings a year ago.

Relations between staff and prisoners have worsened and problems with infection control and inmate safety "are even more stark" than before.

A follow-up inspection of Stirling's Cornton Vale prison, carried out in February, shows a lack of progress in improving conditions there and that it remains an "unacceptably poor establishment".

The Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland report, published today, showed that Cornton Vale still has "significant failings across all key areas of provision".

Prison officials have not come up with any plan, either at establishment or national level, to address the failings.

The report, by Brigadier Hugh Monro, said the jail continues to be overcrowded and that the condition and treatment of prisoners is still unacceptable, especially of women with poor mental health. He also cited limited access to activities for inmates.

Brigadier Monro said: "Despite the warnings raised in my full inspection report in late 2009, Cornton Vale remains an unacceptably poor establishment with significant failings across all key areas of provision.

"I believe there is an immediate need to both reduce the prison's population and review the design capacity of the establishment.

"Insufficient progress has been made to improve both physical conditions and the quality of the regime. The dignity, safety, infection control and health issues are even more stark than in 2009.

"I also noted that relationships between prisoners and staff had further deteriorated with an unacceptable culture and a lack of trust.

"I am very disappointed by the lack of progress made at Cornton Vale. I believe the establishment and the broader issues of how female prisoners are treated must now be seen as strategic priorities for both the Scottish Prison Service and the Scottish Government."

The Scottish Prison Service said it wants to move 116 Cornton Vale prisoners to Ratho Hall at HMP Edinburgh from July to try to ease overcrowding.

Chief executive John Ewing, said: "We welcome this report. Whilst progress has been made, we recognise that further work still needs to be done and share HMIP's concerns about the impact which current levels of overcrowding has on the service we can deliver.

"In the longer term, we all recognise that the solution to many of these issues is to reduce the number of women in custody in Scotland and the announcement today by the Scottish Government to announce a new commission to examine the issue of female offenders is a very welcome development."

The Government's newly launched commission is tasked with finding a better way to treat female offenders with the ultimate goal of reducing reoffending.

Scotland's female prison population has doubled in the last decade.

The commission, chaired by former Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini, will report to the Scottish Government by the end of this year.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "The number of women in prison has more than doubled over the last decade. This situation cannot go on. In the 21st century, we must find a more effective way of dealing with these women and I am confident that the commission will help us to do that.

"I am determined that we turn the tide to improve conditions and reduce reoffending rates for female offenders for the benefit of society as a whole."

Commenting on today's damning inspector's report on Cornton Vale, Mr MacAskill said: "It highlights the serious issues facing female offenders. And while the SPS (Scottish Prison Service) has made good progress in areas such as suicide risk management and education programmes, it is clear that much remains to be done to improve conditions.

"Things as they stand are unacceptable.

"This is a matter in operational terms for SPS and I know that they are looking carefully at the issues that have been raised and how they should be dealt with."