- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scotland’s prisons are universities of crime and, if so, what action it is taking in prisons to address this.
Answer
We believe that Scottish prisons, and Scottish Prison Service staff, play an important role in challenging offending behaviour. We are developing a coherent Offender Management Strategy to ensure that we help them and build effectively on their efforts.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25699 by Kenny MacAskill on 23 July 2009, what update it can provide on what the motivational element to encourage further participation of prisoners in appropriate interventions, such as the Sex Offender Treatment Programme, is likely to involve and how it is intended to be used.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:
The revised Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP) is still under development.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive,further to the answer to question S3W-25269 by Kenny MacAskill on 2 July 2009, what update it can provide on when it expects the Scottish Prison Service to (a) complete and (b) roll out the new Sex Offender Treatment Programme.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:
Development of the new Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP) remains on target for completion by the end of October 2009. The new SOTP will have a phased introduction in 2010.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive in which prisons the Violence Prevention Programme runs and whether the Scottish Government plans to increase the number of such prisons in future.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:
In 2009-10, the Violence Prevention Programme will be delivered to prisoners in HMP Edinburgh, HMP Glenochil, HMYOI Polmont and HMP Shotts. An adapted version of the programme is also being delivered at HMP Peterhead.
There are no definite plans to increase the number of establishments in which the Violence Prevention Programme is delivered.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the reported comment of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland that resourcing problems are limiting prisoners’ access to the Violence Prevention Programme and what action it is taking to address this issue.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:
The SPS delivers a range of offending behaviour programme that address the issue of violence.
The Violence Prevention Programme is an intense, 94 session programme designed to address the offending behaviour of those offenders who have the most violent offence histories. Access to all programmes is currently determined on an individual prisoner''s suitability for the programme and risk assessments.
Other programmes are available that address offending behaviour in the context of substance misuse, anger and emotional management and problem solving. These programmes may be offered to some prisoners as a more appropriate measure for addressing offending behaviour.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers 30 years an appropriate maximum punishment part of a life sentence.
Answer
Punishment parts are set by the High Court in accordance with the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993, as amended by the Convention Rights (Compliance) (Scotland) Act 2001. There is no statutory limitation on the maximum punishment part that may be set. The punishment part set is subject to appeal by the prisoner or the Lord Advocate.
Section 118(7) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 provides that in disposing of an appeal against sentence the High Court may issue a guideline judgement on the sentence which is appropriate in any similar case.
Part 1 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill will provide for the establishment of a Scottish Sentencing Council. The council will be able to prepare and publish guidelines relating to the sentencing of offenders, including the setting of punishment parts.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned at the report in The Press and Journal on 17 September 2009 that a record 177 prisoners have been recalled to prison following release and, if so, what action it will take.
Answer
The increase in the number of recalls is partly a reflection of the continued rise in the number of prisoners: 6,620 in 2004, rising to more than 8,000 in 2009. It also reflects the fact that those released on licence must abide by their licence conditions or expect to be dealt with seriously.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to curb the supply of illegal drugs in prisons.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:
The SPS is committed to preventing all illegal commodities coming into prisons. Significant investment has been made in the procurement of technology, staff training and procedures to detect and deter the introduction of illegal drugs.
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 28 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners accessed the Violence Prevention Programme while serving a custodial sentence in each of the last three years, broken down by prison.
Answer
I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:
The number of prisoners who commenced a Violence Prevention Programme were:
| | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
| Edinburgh | | 10 | 10 |
| Glenochil | 20 | | 21 |
| Perth | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| Polmont | | 10 | 13 |
| Shotts | 10 | 30 | 30 |
| Total | 50 | 60 | 84 |
- Asked by: Richard Baker, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 25 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering a one-in-one-out model to deal with current levels of prison overcrowding, as reported as raised by the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service in The Herald on 11 September 2009.
Answer
We have no current plans to introduce such a system.
