SUICIDE WHILE ON REMAND
web
involved inmates who were on remand and yet to be convicted of a crime.
In total, 76 deaths behind bars are listed on the Scottish Prison Service’s (SPS) website as awaiting the outcome of FAI investigations.
Though the Crown Office claim some of these are now complete, a spokesman admitted extra resources were being channelled into clearing the backlog. Of those deaths listed on the SPS website, 20 involved prisoners who were aged 30 or under.
FAIs are carried out by the Crown Office and the SPS have no control over them.
For 2014, six deaths out of a total 24 are listed by the SPS as still awaiting the outcomes of FAIs.
From 2015, there are five outstanding FAIs, while the figure for 2016 is 17.
A total of 23 deaths in 2017 are awaiting investigation, while 25 of the 26 deaths so far in 2018 are awaiting FAIs.
Since 2014, a total of 15 suicides are listed but the true figure is likely to be much higher when outstanding investigations are taken into account.
In 40 cases over the past four years, prisoners who died behind bars were on remand – meaning they hadn’t been convicted of the offence for which they had been arrested.
A Crown Office spokesman said: “The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) are increasing the resource avai lable to the Scottish Fatal ities Investigation Unit with a view to reducing the duration of death investigations.
“Earlier completion of complex death investigations and the provision of information in terms of the COPFS Family Liaison Charter will reduce the uncertainty for nearest relatives when someone dies unexpectedly and maximise the impact of steps taken to learn from the death.”
The Crown Office said the figures for outstanding death in custody FAIs on the SPS website had not been updated to include some cases which had now been completed and that in other cases FAI proceedings had started but still to be completed.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “Investigations of deaths and decisions on Fatal Accident Inquiries are matters for the Lord Advocate acting independently.”
An SPS spokesman said: “We don’t comment on individual prisoners and it would be inappropriate to comment before the conclusion of an FAI.”
We need to know what went wrong, not just for my benefit but so other families don’t find themselves in this situation
With her trademark smile beaming towards the camera, this is Katie Allan with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on the campaign trail three years ago.
Katie, who took her own life in jail after being tormented by prison bullies earlier this year, met Sturgeon before the 2015 General Election.
Her mum Linda tweeted at the time: “My daughter: 18 today first time voter who sees a bright future.”
She added a hashtag supporting the SNP.
Katie was found dead in her cell in HMP & YOI Polmont in June just weeks before she was due to be released on a tag.
On Thursday, Linda and her husband Stuart, Katie’s dad, launched
rs winne
a campaign calling for reform of sentencing, the process around Fatal Accident Inquiries and the Scottish Prison Service.
They will meet Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf, who was appointed by Sturgeon earlier this year, in the coming weeks.
The family lawyer Aamer Anwar said: “The family welcome today’s invitation from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to meet them. Arrangements are being made for myself and the family to meet Mr Yousaf at the Scottish Parliament within the next two weeks.
“Mr Yousaf is keen to hear directly from the family and offer his sympathies in person on the death of Katie.”