THE views of people in custody, in Scotland, have been captured in a landmark new survey.
The Prison Survey 2024 is the first completed by SPS in five years, following a pause because of the Covid pandemic.
It provides an insight into the experiences of people in our care at a time when the prison population is extremely high and complex, putting pressure on everyone living and working in our establishments.
The survey shows there are many areas of good practice, but also those in need of improvement.
In particular, it reveals relationships between staff and people in custody are healthy and have improved significantly.
Respondents said they felt more positive about staff interest in their wellbeing, that staff helped them with their problems, and treated them with respect.
All of these measures showed improvement since 2019.
Almost half of people in custody (44 per cent) said they felt “very” or “quite safe” in their prison.
However, 20 per cent said they felt “quite” or “very unsafe”, and more than a third reported having been abused, threatened, bullied, or assaulted, while in custody.
There was also an increase in the percentage who said they had used illegal drugs, at more than a third, compared to 29 per cent in 2019.
Of those, almost half said their drug use had decreased in prison, while almost a quarter said it had increased.
There were also concerns raised about the quality and quantity of food; the canteen system; and regimes, which have not fully recovered post-Covid.
Despite this, 40 per cent said they attended a work party at least once a week.
The SPS will now take time to consider the findings of the survey.
A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: “This survey provides a valuable insight into the views of people in our care at a time of significant challenge from an extremely high and complex population.
“The survey covers a range of issues relating to the experiences of those living in our prisons. It highlights many areas of good practice, including the excellent relationships built by our staff but also identifies areas for improvement.