MSPS order review into ‘under pressure’ Scots prison service
Scotland’s under-pressure prison service is set to have its spending reviewed by MSPS just days after a scheme offering inmates extra support when they leave jail was suspended.
Holyrood’s justice committee yesterday announced an investigation into Scottish Government spending on prisons and custody alternatives in the wake of the suspension of the Throughcare scheme, moves to reduce the number of prisoners serving short sentences and concerns about the rise in remand prisoners.
Committee chair, Scottish Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell, said the review was vital to ensure that Scottish prisons and custody services were properly funded.
She said: “It’s clear with the announcement last week on Throughcare and the record high-levels of incarnation that the prison system is under pressure. The Scottish Government has made a range of commitments to improve our post-conviction criminal justice system, but are these commitments prioritised with budget spending? To allow the justice committee to hold the Scottish Government to account, we need to gather the views of those involved with the system before asking some probing questions.”
The Scottish Prison Service admitted last week it would be suspending its Throughcare service due to the “significant challenges it is facing”. All seconded staff were moved back to regular prison officer duties.
The prison reform charity, Howard League Scotland, said themoveshowedprisonswere under “immense” strain and pointed to its figures which found that, as of 12 July, there were 8,190 people jailed in Scotland, although the maximum capacity of the Scottish prison estate was about 7,564 places.
Holyrood’s justice committee has itself previously raised concerns about the number of prisoners held on remand, which has risen by 40 per cent since 2016. And the increased scrutiny also comes after legislative changes that aim to reduce the number of prisoners serving sentences of less than 12 months and the consequent increase in the use of custody alternatives.
The committee will now seek views on budgets provided to public, third and voluntary sectors who provide services to prisons, as well as longerterm challenges and the financial requirements to tackle issues such as staffing levels in prisons, over-crowding, drug use, safety and security of staff and prisoners, the use of the open estate and an ageing prison population.