Conditions in Saughton (and other Scottish) jails

Privatisation is never the answer. Private companies are in it for profit. It is the same with the health system and aged care system. They don’t care about their customers and they will cut corners where they can.

One of my sons is going into the prison service shortly. He is part of the Graduates Unlocked scheme. He is 26. He is looking forward to it but knows it will be very challenging and he has a lot to learn. He has spent the last four years looking after children in care with numerous problems. I am really proud of him. The prison service really needs to change. It needs a lot more investment and less privatisation.

www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jun/21/how-nottingham-prison-descended-into-chaos-staff-cuts-austerity-violence?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Here is the link to the above story. Cutting staff led to chaos.

Very sad case reported about Nottingham Prison recently. Autistic young man remanded in custody accused of stealing a packet of sausage rolls from Greggs. (not sure why). He was repeatedly bullied and had his personal items and cell trashed by other prisoners. He complained but nothing done. He hanged himself. He had not been found guilty of anything.

Baggs

^issue as she sees it is theres not enough support for repeat offenders to give them any hope of a decent life after jail^

Spot on and there is no help while they are in prison either according to Murray. Seems to me it defeats the purpose of prison if it doesn't help people change their approach to life. And, as he stresses in the article, most of them come from very troubled, and often abused, backgrounds.

Sounds downright Victorian to me. Have we learned nothing from previous attempts at prison reform?

Yes

issue as she sees it is theres not enough support for repeat offenders to give them any hope of a decent life after jail

Spot on and there is no help while they are in prison either according to Murray. Seems to me it defeats the purpose of prison if it doesn't help people change their approach to life. And, as he stresses in the article, most of them come from very troubled, and often abused, backgrounds.

Sounds downright Victorian to me. Have we learned nothing from previous attempts at prison reform?

There is a new Barlinnie about to be built ,the old one is Victorian so well past its time .Having said that the quality of staff and treatment of prisoners is as or more important than the decrepit buildings .
a freind recently left the prison service to join Police Scotland,she says she left because she was tired of seeing the same men go out on a Friday and be back on a Monday.The issue as she sees it is theres not enough support for repeat offenders to give them any hope of a decent life after jail.
Social services dont seem able to recruit or keep good staff

I think for Scottish you can read British, I very much doubt it’s different elsewhere in the UK, with some honourable exceptions in specific prisons.