Prison staff are facing ‘unprecedented’ threats from organized crime gangs in prisons

Prison staff are facing “unprecedented” levels of threats and danger from organized crime gang members in Scottish prisons.

In a letter to the Justice Committee, the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) said they are facing “challenging and dangerous” conditions in Scotland’s prisons.

The union’s assistant general secretary, Phil Fairlie, said that with “significant numbers of serious organized crime gang members in the system” the “type and level of threat and danger faced by staff is unprecedented”.

Mr Fairlie said: “While we are extremely proud of the incredible work our members do in our prisons every day, we are also extremely fearful for their physical and mental health the longer they are asked to put themselves in serious danger. overcrowded, dangerous and violent prisons and the demand to manage the most complex groups of prisoners with significant mental health problems.

“Violence in our prisons, against both staff and prisoners, continues to rise, temperatures associated with tension and frustration are also rising and our members report to us the fragmentation and concern about a breakdown in the crucial relationships between staff and prisoners. allows them to share those confined spaces in a way that allows for good order, discipline, and productive rehabilitation work, while trying to keep everyone safe.

Mr Fairlie added that the “stubbornly high” remand population was impacting officers’ ability to manage prisons effectively, with the group of those awaiting trial making up 25% of the population.

While the POA said it supported the Scottish Government’s early release programme, which aims to tackle prison overcrowding, it said more needs to be done to tackle the problem in the long term.

A spokesperson for the POA said: “The POA has been calling for urgent action to tackle the problems in Scotland’s prisons for years. As this report recognizes, our members provide high levels of service under the most intense pressure, but their patience and energy are finite.

“We need urgent action to tackle the overpopulation crisis and we welcome the Early Prisoner Release Bill as an early step.

“But until these measures have a meaningful long-term impact, we need more staff, a better estate and the recognition that our prison officers are not superhuman and are capable of working in such conditions until they are almost 70.”

Holyrood is considering emergency legislation that would reduce the automatic release point for prisoners serving less than four years.

The Scottish Government says the move is necessary to tackle prison overcrowding, and that those convicted of sexual or domestic violence offenses will be exempt from parole.

Last week, Scottish Labor leader Anas Sarwar accused John Swinney of “burying his head in the sand” as they clashed over early release plans.

He added that the plans were a “desperate attempt to tackle a crisis created by the SNP”.

The First Minister said Scotland is not the only jurisdiction experiencing prison overcrowding in the wake of the pandemic. He said the early release measures are necessary to keep prisons safe.

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.

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