New womans unit opened at Inverness prison

A new integration unit for female prisoners has been opened at Porterfield Prison in Inverness.

The new facility will take up to six female inmates at a time and help them prepare for returning to life outside jail.

The previous women’s unit at Inverness had been closed to make room and ease overcrowding pressure among the jail’s male prisoners.

Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing MSP said: “Many of the women who end up in prison have many serious issues and problems in their lives – addiction problems, mental health issues, leaving school early, a history of sexual abuse in some cases. They have a variety of different needs.

“We all want them to go back into the community and not re-offend and I think, quite frankly, a place such as Porterfield with the women’s unit, the community integration unit is far more likely to secure the objective of women not re-offending.”