Fury over roller disco treats at women’s prison
Taxpayers foot £100,000 bill for latest soft-touch jail project
INMATES at Scotland’s only all-female prison are enjoying roller discos as part of a scheme that highlights the soft-touch justice system.
Prisoners at Cornton Vale, which houses some of Scotland’s most dangerous female offenders, have been encouraged to attend in a bid to make them ‘more confident’.
The events, given the goahead by prison bosses, involve a large-scale operation to transform the prison gymnasium into a roller disco rink.
The scheme, organised by a taxpayer-funded charity, is aimed at encouraging inmates to be more active. Disco lights and a music system are brought into the high-security prison in Stirling, along with roller skates and protective clothing.
Prisoners are taken to the discos from their blocks under escort. There are even awards for those who co-operate best.
Up to 60 prisoners have already taken part in the first roller disco and plans are in place for more.
Prisoners described the event as ‘a great mood lifter’ and said they had been ‘buzzing with excitement’.
But last night the revelation was met with fury from justice campaigners, who warned it will make prison seem like a holiday camp instead of a deterrent for the 300 inmates.
Jean Taylor of Families Fighting for Justice said: ‘There are far too many perks for prisoners. The punishment of going to prison should be tougher.
‘It is no deterrent if they are enjoying roller discos – more like a holiday camp. It gives no
‘We were buzzing with excitement’
incentive to stay away and when they get out, they will simply think, ‘Well, it wasn’t that bad”.’
The Breaking Barriers scheme has been organised by the Scottish Prison Service and Youth Scotland, which funds the discos as part of a £100,000 project to encourage women to exercise.
Youth Scotland deputy chief executive Steven Greig defended the move, insisting it was helping women ‘increase physical activity, raise levels of educational attainment and improve mental health’ – which would have a ‘direct impact’ on offender outcomes.
He said: ‘We supplied the whole kit and caboodle – the music, the lights and a variety of skates. The fact this was a roller disco is less important than the outcome women can get from it.
‘The important outcome is to improve women’s self-confidence about taking part in physical activity. They also have the opportunity to gain credits that can lead to a qualification in physical activity.
‘As with all voluntary opportunities, appropriate incentives are in place to encourage participation, but these are personal development incentives relating to building confidence, self-worth, self-esteem, selfconfidence and opening doors for more positive paths in life.
‘We try to provide a range of activities in Cornton Vale, including football, dance and basketball.’
In a statement released by Cornton Vale, one prisoner described the disco as ‘a great mood lifter,’ adding: ‘We were buzzing with excitement before we came into the gym, loved it and felt great afterwards.’
Scottish Conservative justice spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell questioned if holding roller discos was a suitable punishment for criminals and would act as a proper deterrent.
She said: ‘There’s always a balance to be struck. While it’s important that people can be rewarded for good behaviour, there has to be an element of punishment to the sentence as well.
‘We’d prefer to see prisoners given work and education while in jail, which would give them a far better chance of making a contribution to society upon release.’
But Cornton Vale governor Allister Purdie said: ‘People in custody often struggle with mental and physical health problems and the positive impact that regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle have should not be underestimated.
‘I look forward to these services, and the number of women engaging in them, continuing to grow and develop.’
The roller disco revelation is the latest controversy to hit Cornton Vale. The Scottish Government’s Commission on Women Offenders, led by former Lord Advocate Dame Elish Angiolini, ruled it was ‘not fit for purpose’ and should be replaced with a smaller national centre and community prisons.
It will close in 2018 and be replaced by an all-female facility in Greenock, Renfrewshire.