Prisoner video link scheme launched

Chief Reporter

Friday 23 December 2011

INMATES will be able to appear in court via video link under pilot proposals being examined by the Scottish Prison Service.

A working group has been established to look at how prisoners could make court appearances and meet with solicitors via video conferencing to save time and money.

Official estimates suggest the scheme would save £8million and would reduce the lengthy journeys for prisoners – especially young offenders and women in Cornton Vale. However, it is expected to prove controversial with some members of the judiciary.

In 2003 the former Scottish Executive trialled a six-month pilot between Barlinnie and Glasgow Sheriff Court but it was not continued – partly as a result of concerns from sheriffs. The scheme targeted people who were remanded in custody after their first appearance in court on petition. At that time the images were criticised for not being sufficiently clear but the technology and screens used have since been improved. Recent reports by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons have called for greater use of video conferencing. In a critical inspectorate report on Cornton Vale, Brigadier Hugh Monro highlighted the fact that some women were spending up to eight hours a day travelling from the prison to courts in Wick, Inverness and Aberdeen. A recent report by the Chief Inspector states: “I have been surprised that TV link technology is not being used to a greater extent for appropriate pre-trial appearances. For example in the Cornton Vale report I recommend much greater use of video conferencing systems to reduce the number of prisoners on remand invariably having to attend court in person; currently women travelling to outlying courts spend long and uncomfortable trips when in most cases the use of video conferencing could potentially be just as satisfactory and substantially less expensive. I am told the use of such technology is still not being embraced.” Legislation allows prisoners to appear over a live video link, providing the hearing does not involve evidence being led on the charges against them. The aim is to save time and money on solicitors’ travel expenses and help with savings in the overall legal aid budget. A spokesman for the Scottish Prison Service said: “We are at the pilot project stage. In the first stage we will be looking to use it for agents’ visits and then we will be looking at a number of other pilots. “In the first instance, we will be looking at this in relation to young people and female prisoners because they are the ones having to make big journeys right now from national facilities to courts right across Scotland. “It is hoped that significant savings will be accrued as a result, both in terms of the reduction in legal expenses and in the cost of transiting prisoners going back and forth between the prisons and courts. The first part of the pilot should be in place in the New Year. It will be a national pilot across the prison estate.”

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Prisoner video link scheme launched

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