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The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011, also known as the Prison Rules, came into effect on 1 November 2011. 

The legislation can be accessed on the gov.uk website.

In August 2025, a new accessible version of the Prison Rules was produced by the Scottish Human Rights Commission and Parkhead Citizen’s Advice Bureau, and printed and published by the Scottish Prison Service.

Prison Rules, SSIs and Directions

Various amendments can be made to the rules by means of Scottish Statutory Instruments (SSIs). These, and directions to the rules, can be found on our publications page.

Group of prisoners on a walkway in Low Moss