Jail chief: Put phone in all cells

CRIMINALS should have phones in their cells, the prisons watchdog has said.

Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, admits she is ‘delighted’ the idea is being tried with young offenders.

In-cell phones are being set up at Polmont Young Offenders’ Institution near Falkirk, Stirlingshire – and the watchdog believes this scheme should be extended.

The Chief Inspector’s annual report also details how she is ‘very concerned’ that the number of inmates is starting to exceed capacity – partly due to a rise in sex offenders – and notes this increase is

piling pressure on an ‘overstretched’ system. In terms of in-cell phones, Mrs Sinclair-Gieben’s report states the Inspectorate ‘would like to see the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) move towards a greater use of technology’.

She said that ‘outwith Scotland, in-cell telephony has had a demonstrable effect in reducing self-harm’ and allows contact with ‘family, friends and self-help and advice lines’.

She added she was ‘delighted to hear the Secretary for Justice, Humza Yousaf, announce a trial of in-cell telephony in HMP Polmont’ as this will ‘prove sufficiently beneficial to be considered’ for the ‘wider estate’.

But critics have raised safety concerns. It follows cases such as that of an Islamic extremist in a Scottish prison who was said to have smuggled out hate-filled messages by using a jail phone to call a relative in England, who then posted audio clips of his rants online.

Last night, Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: ‘While there are benefits to some vulnerable offenders being able to call their family, prisons must make sure that convicted criminals cannot retraumatise victims or conduct criminal endeavours from prison.’

Meanwhile, Mrs Sinclair-Gieben noted the prison population rose by 709 in a year – from 7,413 on April 1, 2018, to 8,122 on March 31 of this year. She called for urgent action to replace HMP Barlinnie, Greenock and Inverness, saying Victorian jails are ‘costly and no longer fit for purpose’. The watchdog added: ‘The additional number of prisoners and an increasingly complex population places a heavy burden on an already overstretched service. I am very concerned the number of prisoners is starting to exceed design capacity.’

The report found the ‘sharp rise’ in prisoners is due to factors including longer sentences for the most serious crimes and a rise in the number being convicted of sexual offences.

Mrs Sinclair-Gieben also said that while she welcomed the Scottish Government’s move to extend the presumption against short prison terms from three months to 12, this ‘may not be enough to bring the prison population back in line with design capacity’.

The report also found the SPS is facing ‘immense’ financial pressures, with the service having to purchase places, at ‘significant additional cost’, in Scotland’s private prisons.

An SPS spokesman said it ‘welcomes the report and... findings that staff and those in our care feel safe’.

The Scottish Government said: ‘Scotland’s prisons are generally well run and stable.’