Get out of jail free card for hundreds of prisoners
HUNDREDS of prisoners are set to be freed as figures show one in four jail staff is absent.
The Prison Officers’ Association Scotland (POA) said the absence rate was ‘enormous’ and putting a major strain on overall operations.
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said that it was working with the Scottish Government to manage the ‘unprecedented’ challenges.
Meanwhile, 69 prisoners in ten jails are showing symptoms of the virus, or self-isolating.
The Mail understands that, within the new few weeks, inmates are likely to be released to free up space and cut pressure on reduced staff numbers.
While no official statistics have been published, it is understood contingency planning looked at the possible release of up to 1,000 prisoners nearing the end of their sentences.
More than 4,000 people are employed by the SPS. It is understood absences include staff on maternity leave and those on usual sick leave.
Phil Fairlie, national chairman of the POA in Scotland, said: ‘We have an enormous number of staff who are not available to attend the prison on a day-today basis. It is having a significant impact in terms of what we are able to do.
‘We are getting close to about 25 per cent of the staff being unavailable in any given day.’
He told BBC Scotland: ‘We are moving to a single day shift next week to try and accommodate the delivery of the regime.’
Holyrood’s justice committee has written to Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf and the SPS, raising the concerns of three officers at three different sites.
They note a lack of protective workwear for employees and concerns about staff shortages.
One officer claims a staff member tested positive for Covid-19.
Meanwhile, there were calls for a ‘concerted effort’ to reduce the number of people detained in prisons and other facilities during the coronavirus outbreak.
Scottish members of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), a group of 21 bodies that have powers to inspect or monitor places of detention, have now written to Mr Yousaf, urging him to ensure the rights of detained people are protected.
The impossibility of social distancing in prisons puts both staff and inmates at increased risk of infection, the letter states.
Signatories include the Scottish Human Rights Commission and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland.
Mr Yousaf outlined measures to ensure the continuity of the justice system on Wednesday.
Hearings in criminal and civil courts can take place remotely and the time limit for unpaid work has been relaxed.
An SPS spokesman said: ‘The slowing down of court business is already having an immediate impact on our population levels.
‘We continue to assess what measures we can put in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all in our establishments.’
Mr Yousaf said: ‘Emergency powers to allow for release are included only as a last resort to ensure our valued prison staff are able to concentrate efforts on those that present the greatest risk to society.’
‘Close to 25 per cent of staff off’