AN overcrowding crisis at Inverness Prison has created a “revolving door” for offenders who end up being put behind bars over and over again.
Inmates are being released and committing fresh crimes because of the lack of education and rehabilitation opportunities at the 112-year-old institution.
Scotland’s Chief Inspector of Prisons David Strang said the high turnover of prisoners serving short-term sentences was “the product of unsatisfactory levels of reoffending and re-conviction rates”.
His new report on the jail reveals that is routinely overcrowded, severely affecting the ability of staff to deliver a full programme of activities and education aimed at helping them steer clear of crime.
The prison, which was built in 1902, was designed for just 102 inmates – but at the time of Mr Strang’s inspection there were 129 people being held there.
Numbers have soared to 135 in the past year.
Last night, politicians said they were deeply concerned about the ongoing overcrowding issue.
The Scottish Conservatives’ justice spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell said: “These prisoners on short-term sentences could go on like that for years.
“But we know what work could be done with prisoners even when they are spending as little as a month in prison.
“We know there are resources that are not being put into this. It is a revolving door with high re-conviction rates.”
She added there was “no excuse” for overcrowding.
And her Labour counterpart Graeme Pearson said: “My concern is about them being unable to ensure that prisoners can take part in work and activities.
“If we are to deal with reoffending, prisoners need to get education and skills to make sure they do not return to crime.”
Delivering his report in Inverness yesterday, Mr Strang said overcrowding was “putting extra pressure” on the prison, with some inmates having to be transferred to the central belt.
He said that the cramped conditions also meant that the opportunities for activities were limited, including access to the gym.
Mr Strang added that while some high quality work was available, not everyone had access to it.
He said: “It is difficult for the prison to provide a full day of work and activities just because of the numbers of people.”
Referring to overcrowding, Inverness prison governor Caroline Johnston said that she believed local prisoners should be housed in Inverness.
But she added: “We will not look to increase accommodation capacity here. It is an old prison and we have got a very finite amount of space available to us.”
She said that the prison was working with a number of agencies to help prisoners when they were released.
A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government is committed to the replacement of HMP Inverness with the planned HMP Highland.
“The capital budget available to SPS for the current financial year includes provision to acquire a site for HMP Highland.
“Work is continuing to identify a suitable site.”
The Scottish Liberal Democrats’ justice spokeswoman Alison McInnes said: “The report makes it clear HMP Inverness is experiencing many of the pressures that exist across the prison service.
“Its smooth running is hindered by ageing facilities and overcrowding, running at 25% above its capacity.”