The governor of Inverness prison spoken out about the new jail planned for the city.
In an interview with the Press and Journal, Natalie Beal has attempted to allay public concerns about security surrounding the plans for a city suburb.
Local parents, in particular, have aired their fears that sex offenders could be among villains living on their doorsteps in the new facility proposed for Milton of Leys on the south side of the Highland capital.
No-one has questioned the need for a 21st century prison to replace the outdated and cramped Porterfield complex in the city centre.
But there is massive local opposition to it being in the midst of the fledgling suburb.
As objectors meet this weekend to formulate a battle-plan for a possible community buyout of the prison service’s favoured site for the jail, the Porterfield governor has been addressing some of the key concerns.
Mrs Beal, who has been with the service for more than seven years and Porterfield governor for eight months, said: “It’s not a prison of allocation for sex offenders – only if there wasn’t the space at another prison.
“HMP Highland will be for short-term prisoners, those serving sentences of four years and under. It will also be a prison for the untried population – those who’ve not yet been convicted.
“It’s not a prison that’s set up for the sex offender population although there may be people who’ve committed sex offenders at some point in their life.”
Mrs Beal said sex offenders from the Highlands generally end up at Glenochil Prison and such criminals would only be detained in Inverness if there’s no available space at another Scottish jail. That, she insisted, would be rare.
On concerns about a new jail being close to a primary school, she said: “There are a number of prisons in Scotland close to schools and residential areas – and there’s no evidence to suggest there’s any increased risk to anyone.”
Relishing the prospect of a new prison, she said the luxury of extra space would facilitate improved rehabilitation of offenders.
“It would benefit the teaching of life skills to prisoners. That’s a basic need for a lot of the men who come in. This specific site also has good transport links for accessibility,” she said.
She considers her role “the best job in the world.” And the rewards can be tangible.
Mrs Beal is often afforded respect of former inmates who, when encountering her in the street, continue to greet her as “governor.”
As of yesterday, (FRI) almost 900 people had signed an online petition opposing the prison service’s proposal for Milton of Leys. A rival online campaign was launched last month supporting the site choice.
Local MSP Fergus Ewing has urged the Scottish Prison Service to pause the process because of the extent of opposition.