The governor of HMP Barlinnie has said the Glasgow prison is always on the brink of unacceptable overcrowding. He said this affects daily life for everyone inside.
Michael Stoney set out the main problems facing staff and prisoners at the Victorian jail. He was speaking to Alistair Grant, Political Editor of The Scotsman.
According to Mr Stoney, overcrowding limits how many prisoners can shower regularly. It also means only a low proportion get proper time out of their cells. Fewer still can go to the gym or attend education and training.
He said the situation creates tension. Some organised groups in the prison had clashed before their arrest. That, he said, makes management complex.
Mr Stoney also pointed to a recent influx of new arrivals classed as Vulnerable Prisoners because of their offences. Staff must find room for them on wings away from the main population of the jail.
For these reasons, he said, the new HMP Glasgow is essential. It will offer more space, holding 1,344 prisoners in newly designed buildings.
The new prison’s cost and delays have prompted political debate in Scotland. Its opening is due in 2028, with a price tag of £998 million.
Barlinnie has a capacity of just over 1,000. However, it holds far more than that, with prisoners sharing doubled-up cells.
Mr Stoney also discussed the early release schemes Scotland has used. He said they had been essential in freeing up some space, but brought their own complications. They were no substitute, he added, for proper planning to cut prisoner numbers. Such planning was also needed to create decent conditions in existing jails.
Separately, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is considering cabin-style pod units at HMP Castle Huntly, Scotland’s only open prison. It would be the first use of pods in Scotland. The SPS is now seeking contractors for the project.
