Latest news with #SCCJR
The National
01-05-2025
- The National
Scottish prison deaths are far too high
Good evening! This week's edition of the In Common newsletter comes from Kaitlin Dryburgh, policy and communication director at Common Weal. To receive the newsletter direct to your inbox every week click here. THE Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) has found that deaths in Scottish prisons have risen to among the highest in Europe. From 40 in 2023 to 64 in 2024, with some of the most common reasons stated as health conditions, suicide and drug-related causes. Furthermore, the SCCJR found that the overall number of people who died while in custody or in the care of the state in 2024 was a staggering 244 people. While a Fatal Accident Inquiry is automatically provided for those who died while in prison or police custody, those who died under different custody circumstances or care of the state are not provided the same right. Which unfortunately means that we won't know how the majority of those passed away or if the state was to some extent responsible. This embarrassing finding is another example of how Scotland's prison estate is one of the worst in Europe, in so many different ways. Although we are set to build and replace the current Barlinnie prison in Glasgow, this just goes to show our under-funded prison estate is not capable of either rehabilitation or offering a safe place. The structures already in place are not working, and what that means is more people will die. The centre also found that sadly 16 children and young persons died while in the care of the state, including a person with disabilities residing in a hospital. Scotland has previously been scrutinised for its high number of young people dying while in the youth estate and a few high-profile cases in the media have highlighted the need for change. READ MORE: Aberdeen locals react to Michael Gove choosing 'Lord of Torry' title A report published at the start of the year found that the suicides of two youths at Polmont Young Offenders Institution (below) could have been avoided. Due to the nature of Fatal Accident Inquiries, no-one at a prison can be found criminally responsible for death of a person in their custody. So it is no surprise that recommendations made to the Scottish Government are slow to be implemented when there is little pressure from anywhere to see it through. Radical reform is needed in the prison estate if we are to improve and increase rehabilitation, provide people with a better standard of living on the outside, deliver true justice and actually help people. However, at the very least we should be keeping people alive. Prison should not be a death sentence. The data shows that those with mental health issues are more likely to die in custody. The suicide rate for those on remand in prison is untenably high, and yet our remand population is one of the highest in Europe, once again. There are two options that the Scottish Government can start putting in motion right now. No need to wait on another consultation or research, there is enough evidence out there to show the current model is a waste of time and ineffective. Either they enact a prison model that bears more resemblance to Norway, which emphasises rehabilitation and alternatives to the usual prison establishments. Looking at placements that remove troubled people from their usual tumultuous environments and give them stability, teaching them life skills that they've not had access to. With accountability and responsibility at the core of these environments, while treating crime as a public health issue. Something that isn't present currently. Or, they build bigger and better prisons that allow prison officers to offer better care so that we don't have another large increase of people dying while in the care of the state, and have a more streamlined healthcare and mental health service available in prisons. However, considering the high rate at which we throw people in prison, building bigger prisons should not be seen as an incentive to fill them, and more out-of-prison alternatives must be invested in. Either way, this is not the option that will enact the most positive change, but if that's what's needed to keep more people alive, so be it. READ MORE: St Andrews rector wins appeal after dismissal over Gaza comments Lastly, the prison officers and personnel that keep these prisons ticking over should stop being overlooked. Not unlike other public services, the bureaucracy and top-heavy management structure is producing an at-times demotivated workforce that should be more valued, listened to and trusted to make decisions concerning the people they interact with. What the findings from the SCCJR prove is once again we have one of the worst prison estates in Europe, one that is in desperate need of reform. We do not have the death penalty in this country for a reason; going to prison should not increase the likelihood of dying. Furthermore, if we want to explore a different way and do better, we must know how people are dying. Therefore, a Fatal Accident Inquiry is essential when anyone in custody or in the care of state passes away, no exceptions.
Scotsman
29-04-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Scotland's prison death rate among highest in Europe after 'worrying' spike, researchers warn
Academics express concern over lack of transparency Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The number of people dying in prison in Scotland surged to a record number of 64 in 2024, a 60 per cent increase on the previous year, prompting grave concern from experts who warned that the nation's prison mortality rate is among the highest in Europe. In a damning report scrutinising deaths in custody across the nation last year, researchers warned that the rate in prisons had more than doubled over the course of the past decade, and was now more comparable to countries such as Azerbaijan and Moldova, where torture and corruption have been documented, than England and Wales. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The academics from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) said such an increase was of 'real concern,' and pointed to a 'recurring pattern' in prison deaths with officers not completing adequate cell checks adequately, and health concerns of prisoners being treated 'drug seeking behaviour'. The team from the SCCJR, a collaboration between the universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier, Stirling and Strathclyde, also found that across all custody settings -including police custody, mental health facilities, immigration detention centres, and in-care settings for looked after children and young people - a total of 244 people died in Scotland last year, the equivalent of more than four deaths per week. GEOAmey has long been criticised for its handling of the contract to transport people between court, prison and non-court appointments. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire | PA Some 138 deaths occurred among those detained on mental health grounds, 19 were after police contact, and a further three took place in police custody. Some 16 children and young people died in care, three people died while detained in immigration centres, and one inpatient with learning disabilities died while living in hospital. Sarah Armstrong, professor of criminology at the University of Glasgow, who led the researchers, said the sharp increase in deaths in prison raised questions for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), an executive agency of the Scottish Government which directly operated 16 prisons across the country. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She said: 'The reasons behind the recent increase could both be due to the challenging physical environment of prison and the regimes inside it. Poor air quality, access to healthcare, extended periods of time being locked in cells and increased isolation from others, can all cause poor health, exacerbate existing conditions, and lead to a loss of hope. 'We also identified a recurring pattern in prison deaths with officers not completing cell checks adequately, health concerns of prisoners being treated by staff as drug seeking behaviour and signs of poor or declining mental health not being acted upon. The Saltire and Scottish Prison Service flags flying outside HMP Edinburgh. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire | Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire 'Despite the Scottish Prison Service's commitment to learn from each death in custody, it is worrying to see deaths occurring in similar circumstances year after year.' According to the latest SPS data, there have been 20 deaths in custody this year so far, including seven in February alone. Six of the deaths in 2025 took place at HMP Edinburgh. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A SPS spokesman said: 'Every death, whether in prison custody or in our communities, is a tragedy for all those who knew and supported the individual. 'We are determined to deliver systemic change, at pace, to how we support people in our care, in a way which will be enduring, transparent, and impactful.' The new SCCJR report, 'Nothing to See Here? Deaths in Custody and their Investigation in Scotland', also flagged concerns over the transparency surrounding deaths in custody, noting that the majority of the 244 deaths reported last year will not be subject to a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI), meaning 'very little is known publicly about who these people are and why they died.' Sarah Armstrong, professor of criminology at the University of Glasgow, said there was a 'recurring pattern' in prison deaths, including officers not completing cell checks adequately. | Glasgow Uni The researchers pointed out that in a year when 138 people died in mental health detention, there were just two discretionary FAIs published on mental health grounds, with no inquiries carried out into the deaths of looked after children and young people. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Even when internal reviews were carried out by the likes of the SPS, NHS Scotland, or the Police Investigation and Review Commissioner, researchers reported a 'wide variance' in how involved families were and how transparent each organisation was in sharing their findings. One of the report's co-authors, Linda Allan, honorary clinical associate professor at the University of Glasgow, said the lack of transparency and issues surrounding access to data and institutional accountability were unacceptable. 'More than four people including children and young people die every week in this country while they are under the care of the state and it is unacceptable that in many cases we will never know what their names were, how they lived their lives, what led to their death and what these organisations are doing to stop it from happening again,' she said. 'We need independent, timely investigations for every death that occurs while someone is in the care of the state. We need to see robust data gathered, for internal reviews to be made public to ensure transparency, and for families to be included at every stage of the process. A Scotland where these things don't happen is a Scotland that doesn't care.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The researchers also found that numbers often did not match for agencies reporting deaths of the same population. Prof Armstrong added: 'We can't even be sure the government knows who or how many are dying in their care. 'With this now being our fourth annual report, it seems we are further away than ever before from being the compassionate, progressive jurisdiction that the Scottish Government claims us to be.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Every death in custody is tragic and a matter for concern and we will carefully consider the findings of this sobering annual report.
Glasgow Times
29-04-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Death rate in Scotland's prisons among highest in Europe
The Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) said deaths rose from 40 in 2023 to 64 in 2024. The majority of deaths in prison were caused by a health condition, suicide or were drug-related, the report said. READ MORE: Two people taken to hospital after man struck by car The SCCJR found 244 people died in custody or under state control in 2024. The majority of these – 138 – were among people detained on mental health grounds, 19 were after police contact, and a further three were in police custody. The SCCJR said 16 young people died in care, three people died while detained in immigration centres, and one inpatient with learning disabilities died while living in hospital. Professor Sarah Armstrong at the University of Glasgow, who led the SCCJR research team, said: 'Last year we reported there were 40 deaths in prisons in 2023, which has now surged to 64 in 2024. 'It is of real concern that the mortality rate in our prisons has more than doubled in the last decade and is now among the highest in Europe. 'When we looked at international comparators, our death rates are more like Azerbaijan and Moldova, where torture and corruption have been documented, than England and Wales.' READ MORE: Busy road in Glasgow's West End has closed following crash She said the increase 'could both be due to the challenging physical environment of prison and the regimes inside it'. Professor Armstrong added: 'Poor air quality, access to healthcare, extended periods of time being locked in cells, and increased isolation from others can all cause poor health, exacerbate existing conditions and lead to a loss of hope. 'We also identified a recurring pattern in prison deaths with officers not completing cell checks adequately, health concerns of prisoners being treated by staff as drug-seeking behaviour and signs of poor or declining mental health not being acted upon. 'Despite the Scottish Prison Service's commitment to learn from each death in custody, it is worrying to see deaths occurring in similar circumstances year after year.' READ MORE: Investigations 'ongoing' following late afternoon attack She questioned whether the Scottish Government 'knows who or how many are dying in their care'. Report co-author Linda Allan, whose daughter Katie Allan died in custody at Polmont Young Offenders Institution (YOI) in 2018, at the age of 21, called for greater transparency. The Glasgow University honorary clinical associate professor said: 'More than four people including children and young people die every week in this country while they are under the care of the state and it is unacceptable that in many cases we will never know what their names were, how they lived their lives, what led to their death and what these organisations are doing to stop it from happening again. 'We need independent, timely investigations for every death that occurs while someone is in the care of the state. 'We need to see robust data gathered, for internal reviews to be made public to ensure transparency, and for families to be included at every stage of the process. 'A Scotland where these things don't happen is a Scotland that doesn't care.' READ MORE: Seventh person arrested following 'damage' to golf course Katie Allan, who was a student at Glasgow University, had been serving a sentence for drink-driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving when she killed herself. Within months, William Brown, also known as William Lindsay, 16, killed himself in Polmont while remanded there due to a lack of space in a children's secure unit. William and Katie (Image: Newsquest) A fatal accident inquiry into their deaths found they 'might have been avoided', in a determination published earlier this year. A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: 'Every death, whether in prison custody or in our communities, is a tragedy for all those who knew and supported the individual. 'We are determined to deliver systemic change, at pace, to how we support people in our care, in a way which will be enduring, transparent and impactful.' Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: 'Each year, thousands of people with a range of complex physical, mental and social issues have contact with police. It is therefore vital that any death following police contact is recorded and reviewed appropriately. 'This enables us to ensure that we did everything possible to safeguard that person. We have a duty of care in all public interactions, and we continually strive to improve how we serve our communities. 'We take the duty of care to people in police custody seriously and have rigorous procedures in place relating to the welfare of a person in custody. 'Police Scotland will notify the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) of any death in police custody, and will also notify COPFS and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) of any death following police contact where it is considered that police action was a contributable or causal factor, to allow independent assessment.' The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
Daily Record
29-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Deaths in Scots prisons among highest in Europe as numbers rise, report states
Scottish prisons have one of the highest mortality rates in Europe as the number of people dying rises 60 percent in a year to 64, according to a report. The Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) said deaths rose from 40 in 2023 to 64 in 2024. The majority of deaths in prison were caused by a health condition, suicide or were drug related, the report said. The SCCJR found 244 people died in custody or under state control in 2024. The majority of these – 138 – were among people detained on mental health grounds, 19 were after police contact and a further three were in police custody. The SCCJR said 16 young people died in care , three people died while detained in immigration centres, and one inpatient with learning disabilities died while living in hospital. Professor Sarah Armstrong at the University of Glasgow, who led the SCCJR research team, said: 'Last year we reported there were 40 deaths in prisons in 2023 which has now surged to 64 in 2024. 'It is of real concern that the mortality rate in our prisons has more than doubled in the last decade and is now among the highest in Europe. 'When we looked at international comparators our death rates are more like Azerbaijan and Moldova, where torture and corruption have been documented, than England and Wales.' She said the increase 'could both be due to the challenging physical environment of prison and the regimes inside it'. Prof Armstrong added: 'Poor air quality, access to healthcare, extended periods of time being locked in cells and increased isolation from others can all cause poor health, exacerbate existing conditions and lead to a loss of hope. 'We also identified a recurring pattern in prison deaths with officers not completing cell checks adequately, health concerns of prisoners being treated by staff as drug-seeking behaviour and signs of poor or declining mental health not being acted upon. 'Despite the Scottish Prison Service's commitment to learn from each death in custody, it is worrying to see deaths occurring in similar circumstances year after year.' She questioned whether the Scottish Government 'knows who or how many are dying in their care '. Report co-author Linda Allan, whose daughter Katie Allan died in custody at Polmont Young Offenders Institution (YOI) in 2018, at the age of 21, called for greater transparency. The Glasgow University honorary clinical associate professor said: 'More than four people including children and young people die every week in this country while they are under the care of the state and it is unacceptable that in many cases we will never know what their names were, how they lived their lives, what led to their death and what these organisations are doing to stop it from happening again. 'We need independent, timely investigations for every death that occurs while someone is in the care of the state. 'We need to see robust data gathered, for internal reviews to be made public to ensure transparency , and for families to be included at every stage of the process. 'A Scotland where these things don't happen is a Scotland that doesn't care.' Katie Allan, who was a student at Glasgow University, had been serving a sentence for drink-driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving when she killed herself. Within months, William Brown, also known as William Lindsay, 16, killed himself in Polmont while remanded there due to a lack space in a children's secure unit. A fatal accident inquiry into their deaths found they 'might have been avoided', in a determination published earlier this year. A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: 'Every death, whether in prison custody or in our communities, is a tragedy for all those who knew and supported the individual. 'We are determined to deliver systemic change, at pace, to how we support people in our care, in a way which will be enduring, transparent and impactful.' Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: 'Each year, thousands of people with a range of complex physical, mental and social issues have contact with police. It is therefore vital that any death following police contact is recorded and reviewed appropriately. 'This enables us to ensure that we did everything possible to safeguard that person. We have a duty of care in all public interactions and we continually strive to improve how we serve our communities. 'We take duty of care to people in police custody seriously and have rigorous procedures in place relating to the welfare of a person in custody. 'Police Scotland will notify the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) of any death in police custody, and will also notify COPFS and the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) of any death following police contact where it is considered that police action was a contributable or causal factor, to allow independent assessment.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Every death in custody is tragic and a matter for concern and we will carefully consider the findings of this sobering annual report. 'The health and wellbeing of all those in custody is a priority for this Government and we continue to work with partners to ensure their safety . 'All of Sheriff Collins's recommendations in his determination of the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the deaths at Polmont YOI of Katie and William have been accepted and the work on these is being delivered at pace with progress closely monitored.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Deaths in Scottish prisons among highest in Europe
Deaths in Scotland's prisons have increased by 60% in the past year, a report has revealed. The Scottish Centre for Criminal Justice Research (SCCJR) found 64 people died in jail in 2024 - up from 40 in 2023. Researchers said the mortality rate had more than doubled over the past decade and was now among the highest in Europe. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) said every death in custody was "a tragedy for all those who knew and supported the individual". According to the report 17 of the deaths last year were suicides or apparent suicides, 10 were related to drugs, 27 were attributed to "health condition or incident", one was a homicide and one was categorised as "other/accident". The remaining eight were undetermined or remain under investigation, it said. The Glasgow University team behind the report said the overall level of deaths in custody last year was the highest since modern records began, in 1995, and almost certainly the highest ever. "That rise is absolutely stunning. It's unprecedented," said Professor Sarah Armstrong who led the research. The report also said prison deaths from suicide had been rising since 2016 and may have reached a record high last year. Prof Armstrong said she was encouraged by the SPS reaction to a report into the deaths of Katie Allan, 21, and William Brown, 16, who took their own lives in Polmont Young Offenders Institution in 2018. But she said there were issues with "organisational culture" in Scottish prisons and that there needed to be a move away from treating the level of deaths as normal. Katie Allan's mother, Linda, is named as a co-author of the report. She said:in a statement: "We need independent, timely investigations for every death that occurs while someone is in the care of the state." The report said poor air quality, access to healthcare, extended periods locked in cells and increased isolation could "lead to a loss of hope." Prof Armstrong said the team identified a recurring pattern in prison deaths with officers not adequately completing cell checks, health concerns being treated as "drug seeking behaviour" and signs of declining mental health "not being acted upon". She added: "When we looked at international comparators our death rates are more like Azerbaijan and Moldova, where torture and corruption have been documented." Prof Armstrong said it was "anomalous that we have one single state organisation that is immune from prosecution". It comes after SPS head Teresa Medhurst said the prison service should face the possibility of criminal prosecution over deaths in custody - already the case for private prisons. The SPS said it was ultimately for a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) to determine each cause of death, but added it published details of all deaths in custody which indicated there were 14 suicides in 2024, "the same level as in 2019 and 2022." A spokesperson said: "We are determined to deliver systemic change, at pace, to how we support people in our care, in a way which will be enduring, transparent, and impactful." An FAI is a legal requirement for any death in a Scottish prison. The researchers said as well as deaths by suicide there were "numerous deaths from acute health events or from conditions which are normally manageable in the community". They argued that pandemic restrictions "have a sustained legacy in Scottish prisons," with many inmates still locked in cells from late afternoon until the following morning. "Such restrictions have been associated with intensifying isolation and deteriorating mental health," the researchers conclude. "In that category of so-called natural causes deaths are 30 and 40-year-olds who are dying from things like heart attacks or from diabetes or epilepsy," said Prof Armstrong. "Technology and new buildings are not going to fix this - it's the human element, it's the organisational culture, it's the relationships between people in prisons." According to the report, there was one death of a trans woman in 2024 and the remaining 63 deaths were men. It calculates that in 2022 – the most recent year for which comparable data are available – there was a rate of 592.8 prison deaths per 100,000 in Scotland compared to 368 per 100,000 in England and Wales. The sharp increase in Scotland could not be explained by a rise in the prison population, said the researchers. They pointed out that deaths had risen from 24 to 64 between 2014 and 2024 – a jump of 167% – while the number of prisoners had risen by around 4.5% in the same period. "Nor can the increase be attributed entirely to the ageing of the prison population," the report adds. Prof Armstrong noted that the prison population was also ageing in England and in the US, and yet neither country had seen a similar rise in deaths. The report also examined deaths in other forms of "state custody" such as mental health facilities, detention centres for migrants and asylum accommodation, and among people with learning disabilities and autism. It concludes that the "quality of information" about such deaths "continues to suffer from gaps, inconsistencies and errors," and calls for improvements. The Scottish government said every death in custody was tragic and said it would "carefully consider the findings of this sobering annual report". A spokesperson said: "The health and wellbeing of all those in custody is a priority for this Government and we continue to work with partners to ensure their safety. "All of Sheriff Collins's recommendations in his determination of the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the deaths at Polmont YOI of Katie and William have been accepted and the work on these is being delivered at pace with progress closely monitored." Private prison to face prosecution over Covid death Safety action plan accepted after suicides at Polmont Prison service boss says it should lose prosecution immunity
