prisons
COVID-19 in Scottish Prisons
In response to the severe threat to prisoners and prison staff posed by COVID-19, we wrote to the Cabinet Secretary, Humza Yousaf MSP, on 19 March 2020. Our letter was as follows:
Dear Cabinet Secretary,
Scottish Prisons: Covid-19
On Tuesday 16 March 2020, we learnt from media reports that two people in prison at HMP Kilmarnock were in self-isolation in response to the first suspected cases of Covid-19 in Scottish prisons.
A brief statement released from SPS on Wednesday 17 March 2020 advised that 12 individuals were self-isolating and that “robust pandemic plans [were] in place”. This has been superseded by another brief statement today advising that two people have tested positive for Covid-19 in HMP Kilmarnock and that SPS is following advice from Health Protection Scotland. It also advises there are “no restrictions on movement in place therefore establishments are continuing to operate visits as normal”.
The latest information posted on the SPS website is dated 11 March 2020 and advises against visiting a prison establishment if you have been to a place affected by Coronavirus in the last 14 days; if you are displaying symptoms of the Coronavirus; or if you have come in contact with someone who is known to have the Coronavirus.
Thus, 18 days since the first reported case of Covid-19 in Scotland, and one day after it was confirmed that the first prisoner in the UK has died of Covid-19, this is the only prison-specific information which has been made publicly available.
As we know, the current prison population of 8,094 (as at 13 March 2020), includes areas of significant overcrowding, where many single cells are doubled up, and in some instances where double cells have been found to be accommodating three people: creating conditions in which the virus could spread rapidly amongst a population known to be in physically poorer health than the general population. The pressures of space would suggest that self-isolation will also pose particular logistical problems.
We are therefore calling on the Scottish Government to provide a clear Covid-19 specific plan of action to protect the physical and mental health of those working and living in our prisons, including a detailed explanation of how the Chief Medical Officer’s ongoing advice will be applied – particularly around ‘social distancing’ – with regular updates being made available without request.
We would expect that some of the wider measures being considered include an immediate expansion of Home Detention Curfew (HDC) and restrictions on the use of remand, and thus look forward to hearing which proposals will be implemented as a matter of extreme urgency.
Yours sincerely
Howard League Scotland Committee
Evidence to Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee: Prisoner Voting
Audit Scotland audit of SPS
Audit Scotland published its audit of SPS on 12 September 2019. This highlighted that SPS is unable to operate within its budget and is operating well over capacity. It advised that annual staff sickness had increased by 60% in 3 years; there was growing violence between prisoners and against prison officers; and that operational safety was at risk.
Almost all the issues it raised were as a result of the unacceptably high prison population, which we maintain must be decreased in order to provide safe and appropriate conditions for both prisoners and staff.
The 2018/9 Audit of the Scottish Prison Service
Scottish Government - Programme for Government 2019/20
The Scottish Government's Programme for Government 2019/20 was published on 3 September 2019. It stated that the new Women's National Facility (WNF) and first two Community Custody Units (CCUs) will not now be complete and operational by the end of 2020 as previously advised, but that the CCUs will open by the end of 2021 and construction of the new WNF is scheduled to begin early in 2020.
Whilst we welcome the introduction of the new CCUs, we remain concerned that the number of women currently imprisoned far exceeds the capacity provided by the new parts of the estate.
Protecting Scotland's Future - Scottish Government's Programme 2019-20
HMIPS Annual Report 2018-19
HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) published its Annual Report on 22 August 2019. Having completed full inspections of HMP Perth, HMP Addiewell, HMP YOI Polmont and HMP YOI Grampian, it reiterated previous findings that parts of the prison estate remained unfit for purpose. Many of its observations related to current overcrowding issues placing unsustainable burdens on both prisoners and prison staff. Examples included difficulties in transferring prisoners to other prisons to complete offender behaviour programmes, where prisoners were at risk of being released into the community without having completed treatment programmes designed to reduce future reoffending. Elements of health and well-being were of particular concern across a number of inspected prisons.
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2024
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Reducing Scotland's Prison Population (Yet Again ...)
4th November 2024
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No Children in Prisons in Scotland
4th November 2024
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HMIPS Inspection Reports - Women's Estate
4th November 2024
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High Secure Mental Health Unit for Women
4th November 2024
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HMIPS Annual Report 2023/4
4th November 2024
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Children's Hearings Redesign Consultation
4th November 2024
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‘Review…Review ... Recommend … Repeat … An assessment of where human rights have stalled in places of detention’
4th November 2024
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Scottish Sentencing Council - Draft Rape Sentencing Guidelines
4th November 2024
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HMIPS Thematic Review of Prison Progression
4th November 2024
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Reducing Scotland's Prison Population (Again)
4th November 2024
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Order for Lifelong Restriction Prisoner Judicial Review
4th November 2024
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HMIPS Full Inspection of HMP Edinburgh
4th November 2024
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GEOAmey Prison Transport Contract Issues
4th November 2024
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Closure of Turning Point 218
4th November 2024
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Deaths in Custody
4th November 2024
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Prison Population Pressures
4th November 2024
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HMIPS Full Inspection of HMP & YOI Polmont
24th April 2024
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Audit Scotland: 2022/23 Audit of the Scottish Prison Service
24th April 2024
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SPS Policy for the Management of Transgender People in Custody
24th April 2024
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Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2022-23
24th April 2024
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Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2021/22
24th April 2024
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Criminal Justice Committee: Pre-budget Scrutiny Report 2024/5
24th April 2024
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Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022
24th April 2024
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Prison Population Projections
24th April 2024
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HMIPS Full Inspection of HMP Perth
24th April 2024
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Cabinet Secretary for Justice Statement to the Scottish Parliament
24th April 2024
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HMIPS Annual Report 2022-23
24th April 2024
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SPS Corporate Plan 2023 - 2028
24th April 2024
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Justice Analytical Services (JAS) Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report
24th April 2024
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Deaths in Prison Custody in Scotland 2012-2022
24th April 2024
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Scottish Sentencing Council: Statutory Offences of Causing Death By Driving Guideline
24th April 2024
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The Case for Gendered and Intersectional Approaches to Justice
24th April 2024
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Associations Between Significant Head Injury in Male Juveniles in Prison in Scotland UK and Cognitive Function, Disability and Crime
24th April 2024
2023
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HMIPS Thematic Review of Segregation in Scottish Prisons
18th September 2023
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HMP Greenock Full Inspection Report
18th September 2023
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Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill
18th September 2023
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Recorded Crime in Scotland 2022-2023
18th September 2023
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Prison Mobile Phone Phase Out
18th September 2023
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Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill
18th September 2023
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Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Corporate Plan (2023-26) & Business Plan (2023-24)
18th September 2023
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Prisoner Voting
18th September 2023
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HMP Addiewell Full Inspection
18th September 2023
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Journey Times in Scotland's Criminal Justice System Report
18th September 2023
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Joint Review of Diversion From Prosecution
18th September 2023
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'Still Nothing to See Here' Follow Up Report
18th September 2023
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Scottish Parliament Pre-Budget Scrutiny
18th September 2023
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HMIPS Annual Report 2021-2022
18th September 2023
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HMIPS Strategic Plan 2022-2025
18th September 2023
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HMP Shotts: Full Prison Inspection
18th September 2023
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Court Backlog Modelling
18th September 2023
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Scottish Prison Population Health Needs Report
18th September 2023
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The New Women's Prison Estate in Scotland
18th September 2023
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Recorded Crime in Scotland 2021-2022
18th September 2023
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Scottish Sentencing Council Reports
18th September 2023
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Mental Health Support in Scotland's Prisons 2021: Under-Served and Under-Resourced
18th September 2023
2022
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Judged on Progress: the Need for Urgent Delivery on Scottish Justice Sector Reforms
21st April 2022
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Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act 2019 Implemented
21st April 2022
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Independent Review of the Response to Deaths in Prison Custody
21st April 2022
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Scottish Sentencing Council: Guideline on the Sentencing of Young People
21st April 2022
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HMIPS Annual Report 2020-2021
21st April 2022
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HMIPS Health and Well-Being Pre-Inspection Survey
21st April 2022
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Scottish Sentencing Council Report: Judicial Perspectives on Community-Based Disposals
21st April 2022
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Reconviction Statistics: 2019-19 Offender Cohort
21st April 2022
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Recorded Crime in Scotland 2020-2021
21st April 2022
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HMIPS Liaison Visit to HMP Greenock
21st April 2022
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HMIPS Liaison Visit to HMP Castle Huntly
21st April 2022
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Audit Scotland: Community Justice Sustainable Alternatives to Custody
21st April 2022
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Mental Welfare Commission Report: Women and Mental Ill-Health
21st April 2022
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Membership of the new Scottish Parliament Criminal Justice Committee Announced
21st April 2022
2021
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The Scandal of Remand in Scotland: A Report by Howard League Scotland – May 2021
21st May 2021
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An Urgent Plea from Howard League Scotland Committee
21st April 2021
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Expert Review of Mental Health Support For Young People Entering And In Custody At HMP&YOI Polmont - Final Progress Update
15th April 2021
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Extended Presumption Against Short Sentences Monitoring Information: January – December 2020
15th April 2021
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Scottish Crime & Justice Survey 2019-20
15th April 2021
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Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics: 2019 -20
15th April 2021
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HMIPS Liaison Visit to HMP/YOI Grampian
15th April 2021
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Review of Forensic Mental Health Services in Scotland Final Report
15th April 2021
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The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Coronavirus) (Scotland) Rules
15th April 2021
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Covid19 Court Restrictions Extended
15th April 2021
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The Community Orders (Coronavirus)(Scotland) Regulations 2021
15th April 2021
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The Restorative Justice (Prescribed Persons) (Scotland) Order 2021
15th April 2021
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Allan Marshall FAI Recommendations
15th April 2021
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The Parole Board (Scotland) Amendment Rules 2021
15th April 2021
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Effects of New Covid19 Variant
15th April 2021
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Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) Criminal Case Throughput Data
15th April 2021
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Council of Europe's European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Report
15th April 2021
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Reconviction Rates in Scotland: 2017-18 Offender Cohort
15th April 2021
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Justice Committee Evidence Session - Covid19 Effects on Criminal Justice System
15th April 2021
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HMIPS Liaison Visit to HMP Kilmarnock
15th April 2021
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Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act - Electronic Monitoring
15th April 2021
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Outstanding Unpaid Work (Community Payback Orders)
14th April 2021
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HMP Dumfries Full Inspection
14th April 2021
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New European Prison Rules
14th April 2021
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Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2019 - 2020
14th April 2021
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HMIPS First Liaison Visit to HMP Addiewell
14th April 2021
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HMIPS First Liaison Visit to HMP Edinburgh
14th April 2021
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Disclosure (Scotland) Act
14th April 2021
2020
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HMIPS: Remote Monitoring and Liaison Visits
16th November 2020
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Virtual Visits and Mobile Phones in Scottish Prisons
16th November 2020
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SPS Covid19 Route Map
16th November 2020
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Scottish Crime and Justice Survey 2018-19
16th November 2020
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HMIPS Inspection of HMP Edinburgh
16th November 2020
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Jackie Tombs – A Note of Appreciation
20th August 2020
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Three Keys to Unlocking the Problem of Prisons in a Pandemic
25th June 2020
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‘Prisoner householding’: the latest threat from Covid-19
29th April 2020
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COVID-19 in Scottish Prisons: Update #1
30th March 2020
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COVID-19 in Scottish Prisons
30th March 2020
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Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representations) Bill Passed
30th March 2020
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Disclosure (Scotland) Bill Report
23rd March 2020
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Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Act
23rd March 2020
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Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representations) Bill Report
23rd March 2020
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Independent Review of the Handling of Deaths in Custody
23rd March 2020
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Evidence to Education and Skills Committee: Disclosure (Scotland) Bill
23rd March 2020
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HMP Glenochil Full Inspection
23rd March 2020
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Council of Europe's European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
23rd March 2020
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Pre-Budget Scrutiny
11th February 2020
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Throughcare Service Provision Announcement
11th February 2020
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Recorded Crime in Scotland: 2018-2019
11th February 2020
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Evidence to Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee: Prisoner Voting
11th February 2020
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Audit Scotland audit of SPS
11th February 2020
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Scottish Government - Programme for Government 2019/20
11th February 2020
2019
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HMIPS Annual Report 2018-19
5th November 2019
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Fatal Accident Inquiry - Allan Marshall (HMP Edinburgh)
5th November 2019
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Franchise Extended to Prisoners to Vote in the Shetland By-Election
5th November 2019
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Suspension of SPS Throughcare Support Service
25th July 2019
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Management of Offenders (Scotland) Bill
1st July 2019
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Presumption Against Short Sentences (PASS)
28th June 2019
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UN Committee Against Torture - Key Concerns
11th March 2019
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New Strapline Brief
28th January 2019