This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Inverness Prison
29/11/2005
The strengths identified in last year's report on HM Prison Inverness remain, according to the Chief Inspector of Prison's latest report published today.
Dr Andrew McLellan's report, which describes a follow up inspection, in September 2005, welcomes the fact that a number of issues raised in last year's report have been addressed, including:
- The provision of sentence management for long-term prisoners. Training has now been provided to enable two officers to act as personal officers for long-term prisoners
- The provision of toilets in both segregation cells
- The provision of recreational facilities. The Prison now boasts an astro-turf sports pitch
- Improved access to work and to the gym for vulnerable prisoners
- The appointment of an addictions co-ordinator
However the report also highlights that:
Dr McLellan said:
"Inverness prison has been overcrowded for years. Last year's report pointed out that the prison was contracted for 48% overcrowding. This contract number has been reduced, but the average number of prisoners held in the month prior to this inspection was 143 in a prison designed to hold 108.
"Matters raised in the 2004 report which have been acted on include toilet provision (albeit unscreened) in both segregation cells, provision of an astro-turf sports pitch, modest developments in the regime for vulnerable prisoners, improvements in the area of addictions and the introduction of some sentence management for long-term prisoners. There are also plans to improve the reception area. This is impressive.
"Inverness has a small unit for women. During the inspection these prisoners repeatedly expressed anxiety that the Unit might be about to close. Many examples were provided of the difficulties in maintaining family contact if there were to be no unit for women at Inverness.
"Real strengths were identified in the full inspection report of 2004. These strengths remain."