Education and training opportunities fall in certain prisons

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has today urged the SNP/Green government to publish a plan to increase time for education and training within prisons as his party uncovered worrying drops in these opportunities across various facilities since 2016/17.  

Purposeful activities are education, training and work activities which allows prisoners to learn a new trade or skill, benefiting their rehabilitation and reducing the chance of reoffending.    

Newly obtained figures from a parliamentary question asked by Liam McArthur show that between 2016/17 and August 2023 there has been a:  

• 25% drop in the number of purposeful activity hours in Scotland’s largest prison, Barlinnie.  
• 40% drop in the number of purposeful activity hours in Glenochil.  
• 32% drop in the number of purposeful activity hours in Grampian.  
• 22% drop in the number of purposeful activity hours in Low Moss.  

Scottish Liberal Democrats previously uncovered that nearly 60% of prisons in Scotland are operating over capacity.  

The annual report from HM Chief Inspector of Prisons indicated that with this level of overcrowding, “the likelihood of an adverse impact on the ability of the SPS to manage a decent, rehabilitative and humane regime is clear.”    

Mr McArthur said:   

“Education and training are vital in a prisoner’s rehabilitation journey. They develop learning and employability skills, increasing the chances of those leaving being able to make positive contributions within their communities.    

“To see evidence of a drop in the availability of these opportunities in certain parts of the estate, including in Scotland's largest prison, is, therefore, concerning.  

“The majority of our prisons are now overcrowded, and that places real pressure on the prison service to deliver hours of purposeful activity.  

“It also creates a vicious cycle because without those hours, we can expect more people to re-offend and return to prison, putting communities at even greater risk and placing ever-more strain on a system that is already fit to burst.  

“I would urge the Justice Secretary to urgently publish a route map with milestones for increasing the provision of throughcare support and purposeful activity. More broadly, Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see the government creating a properly funded justice system that will ensure we strike the right balance between punishing, supporting and, crucially, rehabilitating.”