Female offenders at Cornton Vale to be moved

Female prisoners at Cornton Vale prison are to be relocated to HMP Polmont as the first phase of Scottish government plans to change the way Scotland deals with women in custody get underway.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said today that more than half of the women currently housed at Cornton Vale will be moved to HMP Polmont over the summer. Mr Matheson also confirmed that construction on the new national prison in Cornton Vale is expected to begin mid-2018.

Mr Matheson said the move would allow the government to begin decommissioning parts of Cornton Vale and move ahead with plans forcommunity custody units.

He added: “We are able to include Polmont in our plans thanks to the success we’ve seen in reducing youth offending in Scotland, which is down 70 per cent over the last ten years. We hope to replicate this success amongst women offenders through the smarter approaches we are taking forward.

“By housing these women in smaller, community bases units closer to their families, alongside providing additional support to address the underlying issues which fuel their crime such as drugs, alcohol or mental ill-health, we can stop them from committing further crimes in the future.”

Colin McConnell, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service said: “Cornton Vale has been a serious concern for our service and for the justice system for far too long and it’s truly rewarding that with the government’s support and leadership we are now on the journey to seeing the back of it.

“The move for a large number of women to the fresh and modern conditions at Polmont will in itself be a significant improvement, making things better for them but also better for those who will remain at Cornton Vale for now.

“That the move is taking place is rewarding in itself, but it is of course part of the overall plan to provide accommodation for women in custody that is purposefully designed and specifically located to meet their needs and to ensure overall that the system as a whole works much more effectively and efficiently.”