Anti-sectarian jail scheme gets funding boost

Ministers have backed a programme being run by the Iona Community, which challenges behaviour by encouraging inmates to discuss lyrics sung in sectarian songs and to understand the problems that sectarianism has caused in communities such as Northern Ireland.

The programme – successful piloted in Addiewell, Barlinnie, Kilmarnock, Glenochil and Greenock jails – focuses on language and attitudes within families in the hope of not only preventing reoffending but also stopping sectarianism being passed from parents to children.

The novel approach targeted 60 prisoners selected by prison chiefs because they had sectarian elements to their offending. Initial results reveal that two-thirds of the prisoners involved showed a “positive change” in attitudes on completing the programme.

The programme will now double in size. With tougher new laws on offensive behaviour at football matches expected to be passed by the Holyrood Parliament later this year, more sectarian offenders could be imprisoned.

The Iona Community, which was founded in Glasgow and Iona in 1938 as a Christian organisation working towards principles such as justice, peace and equality, designed and implemented the scheme.

Laura McAleese, the youth projector co-ordinator who leads the project, taking it into prisons and running the courses, said: “We’re predominantly talking about under-40 males. Although we started in the west of Scotland we’ve also had people from Edinburgh and Livingston.”

The course features six group sessions, with participants asked questions at the beginning and end of the course, such as: “Do you think you are sectarian?” or “Is there a need for change?”

Prisoners were also asked to score statements such as “I think it’s OK for someone to crack a sectarian joke – it’s part of life and it does no harm” on their acceptability, giving a rating from one to five.

This was used to rate their attitudes, with prisoners typically showing a 50 per cent improvement after the course.

Based on this success, the Scottish Government has awarded the project a further £42,000 in funding, allowing it to double in size.

McAleese said: “The first week is an introduction to sectarianism. We find out how much they know, what their attitudes are and which team they support.

“We generally find Rangers fans sit on one side [of the room] and Celtic fans on the other. We put flags up and prisoners sit under the flag they support.

“Then we ask them things about the flags. I might say that all flags should be banned from football games, or all national flags should be banned, and we discuss that.

“Or I’ll ask them how come you see Union Jack or Irish flags but you don’t see many Scottish flags flown.”

She added: “We look at the history of both clubs and ask why Catholics traditionally support Celtic, and Protestants support Rangers. A lot of them have got children themselves and it’s about looking at how they speak to their children and whether they are encouraging them to be sectarian.”

Prisoners also examine the lyrics of sectarian songs sung at matches. McAleese found many of the men had never really thought about the content.

The Scottish Parliament is currently debating the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill after a series of sectarianism-related incidents at Scottish Premier League grounds last season. Offenders could be jailed for up to five years.

Roseanna Cunningham, the minister for community safety, said the Iona Community initiative had already seen “positive results.

“Seventy per cent of offenders have shown a positive change in attitude after taking part in the programme and the initiative has been rolled out to other prisons across Scotland.

“We are clear that tougher legislation can only be one part of the solution and if we are to tackle sectarianism in Scotland we need wide-ranging actions right across society.”

n grose@scotlandonsunday