Prison

Scotland’s prison population has risen above the level that triggered the early release of hundreds of inmates earlier this year, with warnings that numbers could soon reach record highs. In February and March more than 300 prisoners, half of them serving sentences for violent offences, were r

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has exposed serious failings in the way complaints are handled in Scotland’s prisons. In a new report it finds that the current system is failing to meet human rights standards, leaving people in prison unable to challenge mistreatment, poor conditions or h

The number of Scottish prisoners who have broken prison rules has increased every year since 2022, with almost 100,000 rule breaks in that time, according to new figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives, who have said such prisoners should not be considered for early release. Responses to free

Scotland's largest prison is in a “wretchedly poor state”, according to a review. HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) found that the prison's infrastructure “represents a barrier to safety and acceptable living standards”.

The head of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) has called for the abolition of crown immunity, the legal principle that legislation does not normally apply to the state. Teresa Medhurst said the SPS should be at risk of criminal prosecution over deaths in custody.

There were 345 deaths in prison custody over the period 2012-13 to 2022-23, with the annual number of deaths generally increasing over this time, new statistics from Scotland's chief statistician show. The statistics should not be taken as indicative that the risk of death changes specifically becau

A freedom of information response received by the Scottish Conservatives reveals that that only 10 victims were notified under the Scottish government's Victim Notification Scheme about prisoners being released in recent weeks. It was estimated that up to 390 prisoners could have been released under

A new modern prison in Glasgow to replace the 143-year-old HMP Barlinnie has been given the go-ahead. With the construction contract now signed, HMP Glasgow will have a capacity of 1,344 – adding 357 more places to the overall prison estate once completed in 2028. The total project cost is &po

A new approach aims to increase the support provided to people leaving prison following a short-term sentence from six to 12 months. The national service aims to help people leaving prison reintegrate with their community and rebuild relationships, through mentoring, one-to-one support and guidance

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have said the Scottish government must do more to boost the number of community payback orders being issued and improve enforcement, after new statistics revealed that numbers are at some of their lowest in a decade. The Scottish government’s Justice Social Work