JAILS AWASH WITH DRUGS
Inspectors reveal shocking level of problems facing staff and inmates
SCOTLAND’S prisons are in crisis with rampant drug use, violence against officers and overcrowding, according to a series of hardhitting reports today.
Inspectors found major problems in six jails, including shock claims about isolated women in Cornton Vale.
One report by a European team claimed jails are “awash” with dangerous new synthetic drugs, putting officers and inmates at risk.
Another by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland confirmed the same new drugs are linked to increased violence at Glenochil.
Meanwhile, MSPs put pressure on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to tackle widespread concern across the prison estate, including Inverness and Barlinnie.
The Record revealed this week how nearly 100 letters laced with mindbending drugs were intercepted at HMP Addiewell in West Lothian.
And we told of a whistleblower’s claim that the full extent of the scandal is being “masked” as the Scottish Prison Service struggles to catch up.
The Council of Europe’s Committee for Prevention of Torture today published a report on five Scots prisons – Barlinnie, Cornton Vale, Edinburgh, Grampian and Shotts.
It warns: “The CPT noted the gradual rise of inter-prisoner and inmate-on-staff violence (notably in Edinburgh Prison), which was officially attributed to a combination of the increase in use of Novel Psychoactive Substances, mental health issues and organised crime.”
Prisoners told the delegation it is “easy” to obtain drugs in prison, with synthetic drugs soaked into letters and smoked upon receipt.
The report underlined overcrowding, including “tripling up” at Grampian where inmates slept on mattresses under bunks.
A separate report on Glenochil, by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland, warned: “The continuing prevalence and use of psychoactive substances was resulting in unpredictable and unreliable behaviour and disrupting the safety of the environment, making many prisoners feel concerned.” During First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood, Sturgeon vowed to look into the concerns, adding: “We will continue to take action to reform our justice system to tackle the fact that we have proportionately the highest prison population in the western world. “That is why we are taking action to introduce a presumption against short sentences and more alternatives to custody, which are better for rehabilitation and reducing reoffending.” A Scottish Prison Service spokesman said it recognises overcrowding, mental health and NPS drugs are a problem. He added there are plans to replace Barlinnie and Cornton Vale as well as utilising technology to detect drug use.