Prisons

An inquiry has been launched by Holyrood's Criminal Justice Committee into tackling harms caused by substance misuse in Scottish prisons. The inquiry is split into three parts and will consider the impact of substances, including drugs and alcohol, in Scotland’s prisons. The first part will lo

A new ministerial accountability board is to be established to oversee the implementation of FAI recommendations aimed at preventing avoidable deaths in custody. Sheriff Collins made 25 recommendations in January 2025 after finding that the deaths of Katie Allan and William Lindsay in a young offend

Scottish prisons had the highest mortality rate in Europe last year as prison death rose by 60 per cent to reach a record 64, according to new research. An annual report from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) examined the 244 people – equivalent to four a week –

A new law to bring about an immediate reduction in the prison population will take effect from 11 February. The Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Act – passed by the Scottish Parliament in November last year – will change the release point for those serving prison sentences of less th

Scotland’s overcrowded prisons are a “disaster waiting to happen” as prison populations are set to rise again, Scottish Labour has said. Latest prison population projections state that “it is likely that the overall prison population will increase between 1st November 2024 an

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is seeking views from the public on proposals to designate Scotland’s largest and best-known prison as a Category A listed building. Barlinnie, in the northeast of Glasgow, is the most complete surviving example of a 19th century prison in Scotland and is ex

The prison population increased by six per cent in 2023-24 to 7,860 on the average day. The increase in the prison population was primarily driven by an increase in the sentenced population (+8 per cent since 2022-23).

Sara Snell has been appointed as the new HM chief inspector of prisons for Scotland. She has extensive experience in the UK justice system having worked in HM Prison Service in England and Wales for 25 years.

The Scottish Prison Service's waiting list for sexual offending rehabilitation programmes would take 14 years to clear, according to new figures. The SPS was urged by Emma Jardine, policy and public affairs manager at Howard League Scotland, to increase the transparency over access to such schemes.

Legislation to help reduce the high prison population has been passed by the Scottish Parliament. The Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill will change the release point for offenders serving sentences of less than four years from 50 per cent of their sentence to 40 per cent. There will be no ch

There are "serious concerns" about overcrowding in Scottish prisons after a new report found that the prison population remains too high. HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland (HMCIPS) found that inmates are sharing cells not designed to be shared.

Legislation to allow for the early release of prisoners has been published. The Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill proposes that most prisoners serving sentences of less than four years would be released after serving 40 per cent of their sentence, rather than 50 per cent as at present. This

A fatal accident inquiry is to take place into the death of a man who was found dead in his cell in HMP Barlinnie. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has lodged a first notice to begin the court process for the FAI into the death of 58-year-old Michael Charlton, who was foun

A new programme, being piloted in three prisons in England and Wales, that aims to reduce re-offending rates and transform the lives of prisoners has seen positive early results. The Counting on Confidence Programme, run by the self-development organisation Meee, is designed to embed a belief in the

Crown opposition to bail is being relaxed because of the prison crisis in Scotland, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC has told Holyrood. She said: "Prosecutors will always act in the public interest and do their utmost to keep people safe from the harm caused by crime.