Overcrowding Behind Steep Rise in Violence at Polmont

Scotland’s only young offenders institution is overcrowded, increasingly violent and home to hundreds of underfed prisoners, according to a new report. Lady Cullen, chairman of the Polmont Visiting Committee, and wife of one of the country’s top judges, blamed the poor conditions on an increase in offending and under 21s being given custodial sentences.

The report into Polmont Young Offenders Institution, which houses between 600 and 700 young offenders aged between 16 and 21, lists a series of “disappointments” based on more than 100 visits by committee members during the last year.

Lady Cullen described the regime as “impoverished” due to budget cuts and complained there was a lack of purposeful work for the inmates. She said the problems are a result of an increase in convictions and remand prisoners which started last year ending a nine-year period where the trend was downward.

Her report stated: “The rise in numbers of remand prisoners has led to overcrowding, doubling up and a sharp rise in the level of violence.”

It added: “This doubling up and the boredom caused by inactivity have led to a rise in the level of noise, increase in violence, considerable wear and tear of fabric and an inordinate amount of graffiti.”

Concerns were aired over nutrition levels and insufficient food for prisoners with claims the budget allocation is inadequate.

She stated: “The committee feels strongly that portion sizes are too small – £11 a week per prisoner is all that is allowed for food.”

The report added that the budget allocation had not increased since 1997. However, the Scottish Prison Service said the budget allocation is often exceeded with savings made elsewhere to compensate.

Staff shortages were blamed for failure to deliver anti-bullying and anger management programmes and sometimes staffing pressures can mean exercise time can be limited.

In 2005/06 the average daily population was 625, up more than 10% from the previous year’s figure of 560.

Kenny MacAskill, SNP justice spokesman, said: “The report is concerning and disappointing. We are trying to break the cycle of violence but if it is exacerbated in the institution that is trying to prevent it then it is a grave problem.”

The Scottish Prison Service said there had been a rise in indiscipline reports but not in assaults over the last two years.

A spokesman said: “We do not control the numbers. We only take those sent to us by the courts, but we have opened up a hall at Perth Prison to cope with the rise.

“If you have more prisoners then proportionately you will have more violence and there tends to be a higher level of violence among this age group.”
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson was invited by the committee to join them on a visit to the institution but they were told she was unable to accept. But Ms Jamieson has visited Polmont on business on a number of occasions.

A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said: “We want to give young people real alternatives to a life of crime and a huge investment programme through our work with youth justice is helping to divert young people from offending.

“We acknowledge our initial target to reduce the number of persistent young offenders by 10% by 2006 has not been met but the target for a further reduction by 2008 remains.”