Plenary, 05 Nov 2008

Meeting date: Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Official Report 361KB pdf

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Time for Reflection

Good afternoon. As always on a Wednesday, the first item of business is time for reflection. Our leader for time for reflection today is the Reverend Donald Scott, who is chaplain of Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution Polmont.

Good afternoon. Conference speakers call this post-lunch slot the graveyard slot, so here is a quick quiz to establish how up to speed your brains are. Can you name at least two prison reformers? John Howard, of the Howard League for Penal Reform, might be known to some of you. In the 18th century he brought to Parliament two important acts that made incarceration more just and humane. Elizabeth Fry will be on the tips of some tongues for her work in combating poor prison conditions, and her face might be known to those who can find an English fiver in their wallets. Perhaps those of you who know something of Edinburgh's history—or, indeed, the history of the kirk—will be aware of Thomas Guthrie and his ragged schools for young destitute and criminal persons.

Googling those names and others that are associated with prison reform will reveal that most of the reformers were acting out of zeal that was based in their faith experiences. They read in the Bible that their Lord had an expectation that the poor would be cared for and the prisoners visited. The desperation of many people who were incarcerated in 18th and 19th century prisons moved those reformers and others to do something about the awful conditions.

As a prison chaplain, I witness daily the improving conditions for those who are held in Scottish prisons, although I wish that there were fewer of them. However, as a society, we can be grateful that our prisons estate is being made ready to meet the needs of the 21st century.

What exercises me to seek reform is what happens when people leave prison. For too many of the young men with whom I work at Polmont, the journey back into society is difficult and short. Their attempts to go straight are often frustrated by poor job prospects, limited accommodation choices and a lack of the peer and adult support that offer real alternatives to offending behaviour.

Today, the Jacob project is holding a briefing here at Holyrood. The project has been developed by people of faith to help young men who are leaving prison and re-entering the community. It aims to provide three simple things that we believe will prevent ex-offenders from reoffending: somewhere to stay, something to do and someone to talk to.

Please come and meet the project team this evening. Who knows? Maybe in years to come it will be your name that people think about when they are asked to name a great prison reformer.