Inspectors note ‘malaise’ at prison as inmates report little time out of cells

Almost 40% of prisoners at HMP and YOI Grampian have told an inspectorate they are permitted less than two hours out of their cells a day.

In a report published on Thursday, HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) said the prison, in Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, also faces issues around bullying and staffing, and that prisoner transportation often failed at short notice by transfer firm GEOAmey.

Chief inspector Stephen Sandham outlined a number of areas for improvement at the jail, which he said will “enhance the treatment and conditions for prisoners”.

He added: “A primary objective for the SPS (Scottish Prison Service) must be achieving the staffing level necessary to reopen all of the unused high-quality accommodation in Cruden Hall.

“This would ease overcrowding pressures across the prison estate and reduce the need for prisoners to share cells designed for one person or sleep on mattresses on the floor, as regrettably happened earlier in the year.”

Cruden Hall is an area of the prison used to house young offenders.

Mr Sandham said: “Following an occurrence of serious disorder in its early months, male young offenders were relocated and the accommodation they occupied, Cruden Hall, was closed.

“It was disappointing that some of the highest quality of prison estate in Scotland was lying empty at the time of our inspection, although they have now started to reopen part of it to deal with the current overcrowding crisis across the prison estate.

“HMP and YOI Grampian suffered from the same malaise as several other Scottish prisons, an impoverished regime, with almost 40% of the population in our pre-inspection survey claiming that they had less than two hours out of cell each day.

“We also considered that the short ‘core day’ regime operated by the prison should be reviewed alongside other aspects of the regime to ensure there is improved access for prisoners to activities, especially in the evening and for maximising time out of cell.”

He said staff shortages could exacerbate much of the prison’s ongoing problems, and that the jail is one of seven SPS establishments assessed as highest risk for overpopulation, staffing issues and absence levels.

He praised the outreach team, the relationships between staff and vulnerable prisoners, and the case management board process for release-planning and community reintegration for short-term prisoners.

He also commended care needs for prisoners who require extra support for specialist equipment, the prison chaplaincy for religious and spiritual inmates, and the virtual court release process.

The SPS said it is already working on the recommendations provided by the HMIPS, including on reopening Cruden Hall.

A spokesperson said: “We welcome this report, which highlights that HMP and YOI Grampian is a forward-looking prison, with many areas of good practice, including a strong focus on addressing the needs of older people, an emphasis on specialist training for staff in neurodiversity, and some of the best accommodation in Scotland.

“Work is already under way to address many of the recommendations made.

“Cruden Hall has been reopened as part of our ongoing work to maximise our use of all available space across our establishments in response to the population pressures our staff have been managing for several months.”

Justice Secretary Angela Constance added: “The Scottish Government welcomes the inspectorate’s report and the finding that HMP and YOI Grampian is a stable, forward-looking prison.

“The report has identified a number of good practices in relation to both prisoners and staff – highlighting the prison library, strong multi-agency and partnership working, and the excellent person-centred work of the outreach team.

“Inspectors praised the good work in relation to supporting staff development and wellbeing.

“It is clear, however, that there is still room for improvement, and the Scottish Prison Service will respond to all of the HMIPS recommendations and are taking steps to reintroduce a more productive regime and address challenges around staffing.

“We have increased investment in our vital prison service by 10% to £436.5 million in 2024/25 to enable SPS to continue to provide a safe and secure prison estate.”