Prison exec admits no plans to bring back rehabilitation services

Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has today urged the SNP government to explain how it will support rehabilitative measures in prisons, as he revealed that there are no plans to bring back the throughcare system that helped 100 prisoners a month move on and away from reoffending.  

The throughcare service paired prisoners up with a support officer who helped them make arrangements for housing, medical provision and benefits, both before and after release.  

The service was suspended “temporarily” in summer 2019, but Scottish Liberal Democrats subsequently revealed that it was never restarted.  

Now it has been revealed that there are no plans to bring the service back, with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, Teresa Medhurst, stating that while the prison population continues to grow, “it is unlikely that SPS will be able to resume a Throughcare Support Service.”  

Mr McArthur said:  

“Our prison population is at worryingly high levels, but that should be the argument for, not against, throughcare. Support like this makes all the difference between a life rehabilitated, or a life of reoffending.    

“Scottish Liberal Democrats have been warning for years about the impact of overcrowding. The response to date from Ministers, however, has made no difference. Indeed, the problems only appear to be getting worse.

“We are now seeing prison bosses making decisions they don’t want to make and third sector organisations are having to step in to plug the gaps.  

“Our justice system needs to be able to strike the right balance between punishing, supporting and, crucially, rehabilitating. To do that, it needs to be properly funded.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see prisons used as an opportunity to provide new skills and a means of making a positive contribution upon release. That requires a basic standard of support and continuity both before and after an individual leaves prison.

"That’s the best way to keep communities safe."