Aberdeen Prison

Background. Founded in Formally known as Craiginches. Aberdeen is a short stay prison, holding males with sentences of up to 4 years. It also accommodates all remand prisoners. Medium security – all supervision level prisoners can be held there. Designed to hold 155 prisoners, but had a population of 264 in (165 convicted and 87remand).

Structure. Overcrowded by about 50% Understaffed – at least 20 officers short. Due to these problems, inmates spend long hours inside cramped cells, with little time for exercise. Remand prisoners (particularly those under 21) spend longest time locked up. Sex-offenders get no preparation for release and take exercise in “cages” HM Chief inspectors 2009 report highlighted.

Poor quality building – broken windows, poor segregation unit and visitation room needs to be replaced. (Chief inspectors 2009 report). Despite all these problems, inmates say they do feel safe. 20years ago, military style schedule. Now focus is more on trying to help prisoners overcome their problem – drugs, alcohol. But little signs of this working as many end up reoffending and ending up back in prison, sometimes with their children, or even grandchildren.

Rehabilitation. 67% leave jail as regular drug users – chosen to pilot new imitative called the Substance Related Offending Behaviour Programme (SROBP): prisoners find the relationship between their substance use and their offending behaviour. Helping reduce recidivism rates. Looking into piloting a needle exchange programme – switch unsafe, unsterile needles for clean, hypodermic ones and receive associated injection kits. No systematic preparation for any prisoner – no programmes to address offending behaviour apart for the pilot substance misuse programme.

Opportunities. Education provided is of a very high standard – lots of inmates take part. Basic education – computer studies, cookery, creative writing, English, key skills, maths, music and Open University. Vocational Training – catering, industrial cleaning, laundry and sport studies.

Current Issues. Aberdeen and Peterhead to be replaced by a “super- prison” in Peterhead. Capacity of 500, and will house men, women and young offenders. Will have a special unit for sex offenders. Work expected to begin within the next 4 years. prisoners already being transferred out of Peterhead. Kenny MacAskill’s report in 2007 of the jails were the starting point for the idea of this “super-prison” since these prisons are seen as Victorian and structurally outdated – planning for woman's unit to be re-opened to allow female offenders to be closer to their families.

Sources. BBC website STV website The Scotsman The Guardian SPS website