Scotland’s prisons are “struggling to cope” under the pressure of chronic overcrowding, with inmates locked up for over 22 hours a day and staff at risk of burnout, the country’s prisons inspector has warned.
In a rare and urgent statement, HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) backed the Scottish Government’s move to activate emergency release powers to ease what it calls a “paralysing issue” across the prison estate.
On 2 October, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs sought parliamentary approval to use powers under the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 to release selected inmates early, the second time this year such measures have been taken.
Sara Snell, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, said the emergency action is “necessary” to relieve immediate pressure, but warned the root causes of overcrowding remain unaddressed.
“I have seen a prison system struggling to cope with the number of prisoners it is now being asked to accommodate and the complexity of the prisoner population it has to try to manage safely,” said Snell, who took up post in February.
“The SPS (Scottish Prison Service) has grappled with the long-standing pressure of a prison population that has consistently exceeded design capacity, and this has a long-term toll on SPS headquarters staff, governors, and front-line staff from all agencies.”
In its statement, HMIPS listed a catalogue of consequences tied to overcrowding, including a lack of access to fresh air, inadequate shower provision, staff shortages, limited access to work and education programmes, and rising mental health concerns.
A November 2024 inspection report of HMP Barlinnie found prisoners were not provided with daily showers, a breach of basic human rights.
Staff are frequently redeployed from specialist roles to cover residential units, making it harder to build stable relationships and contributing to prisoner frustration.
“Prisons stop being positive and purposeful and become human warehouses,” the inspectorate said, warning that growing unrest and potential violence could further stretch already limited resources.
With no surge capacity to absorb incidents like a damaged wing or closed accommodation block, HMIPS warned the system is dangerously exposed.
The watchdog also raised concerns about the rising number of deaths in custody, including suicides and the long waits many prisoners face to access offender behaviour programmes.
While supporting the June 2024 and February 2025 emergency releases, HMIPS stressed these are only short-term relief measures.
Real change, it said, must come from the long-awaited Sentencing and Penal Policy Review.
“There are no quick or easy answers,” Snell said.
“It is vital longer-term solutions are adopted swiftly, both to avoid more short-term options being resorted to, and because systemic change takes time to take effect.”
