Conditions in Barlinnie ‘shameful’, says senior prisons official

Conditions in Scotland’s largest jail are “shameful”, a senior prisons official has said.

HMP Barlinnie in Glasgow has been stretched to breaking point in recent years as the whole prison estate struggles with overcrowding.

Fears have been raised in recent years that the conditions at the Victorian prison could breach the human rights of prisoners, some of whom are forced to share cells due to the prison being at 140% of its capacity.

The jail in the city’s east end is due to be demolished and replaced with a £1bn facility with greater capacity.

Speaking at a meeting of Holyrood’s Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday, Scottish Prison Service deputy chief executive Linda Pollock was scathing about the situation facing prisoners and staff.

“We’re really pleased with the support from the Scottish Government to be able to build in Highland and in Glasgow,” she said.

“You’ll have seen the facilities that we have, the conditions that we’re holding men in Barlinnie just now is shameful and it is important that we do – and we’re grateful for the support to – build better facilities.

“They will give more space, although limited more space, but importantly they will give more humane conditions for the people in our care.

“This is a very difficult, long-term problem that Scotland is experiencing, and I would also say it is in England and Wales and other countries across Western Europe as well, particularly as we look at court backlogs and the rise of long-term sentences.”

Ms Pollock added: “It’s very sad that we’re sitting today with over 1,400 men in Barlinnie, we’re sitting at 140% capacity, so we are very concerned about the overcrowding and the impact that has on us and what our operational levers are that we can use to respond to that.”