SEGREGATED “safe cells” in prisons – used to observe those at risk of suicide in Scotland’s jails – should be phased out at Polmont Young Offenders Institution and replaced with humane alternatives, according to prisoners’ families, lawyers and academics.
Concerns were raised about the isolation of vulnerable prisoners at Polmont Young Offenders, including in so-called safe cells, in an expert review of mental health service provision at the prison published last week. The review was commissioned following the suicides of 21-year-old Katie Allan and 16-year-old William Lindsay at the prison last year.
READ MORE: A year on from her daughter's death, Katie Allan's mother vows to fight on
In an interview with the Sunday National this week, Katie’s mother Linda Allan said that safe cells – where prisoners are stripped of their own clothing and possessions and put under regular observation by switching on lights and preventing them from sleeping – were feared by prisoners. She claims that in her last visit to her daughter – who was being bullied – Katie begged with her mother not to raise concerns with staff about her mental health in case she was put in a segregated safe cell. Allan said: “The last day we saw Katie was awful. She was really, really upset. She was petrified of being put in one of those cells.”
Sarah Armstrong, director of Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research based at Glasgow University, whose evidence review formed part of last week’s report, said several studies had raised concerns about the “distressing” nature of safe cells.
“Typically suicide watch regimes involve having all personal things taken away, and constant visual checks, which necessarily involves lights on interrupting rest and sleep,” she added. “They are keeping someone alive but they not keeping them well. The concern is that in fact it’s contributing to their suicide risk.”
Instead of safe cells, she claimed research showed that giving people contact with family and access to personal belongings was important. “The evidence on the impact that isolation has on mental health is as clear as air,” she added. “People report feelings of hopelessness in segregation.
But, with decreases of 50% in young prison populations in recent years, she said she was hopeful of change due to the activism of the Allans and others, as well as concern at Scottish Government level.
The use of safe cells was also highlighted in an independent evaluation of the Talk2Me suicide strategy – commissioned by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and published last October – by researcher Breige Nugent who looked at past studies and concluded there were “questions ... in terms of their appropriateness, when viewed through a human rights lens”.
Human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, representing the Allans, said the growing evidence showed it was time to “shut down punishment cells”. “It has long been accepted that such safe cells have a devastating impact on mental health, release from which only increases the risk of suicide.
“We have seen that those most in need of mental health support will stifle their cries for help rather than subject themselves to these dungeons of despair. Once in they will do everything to get out, they will lie or simply pretend they are better, only to be released with a greater risk of suicide.”
He said “a full range of therapeutic activities” should be on offer instead as well as “trained mental health staff permanently based in prison, on call seven days a week, night or day”.
A spokeswoman for the SPS said both reports “recognise the hard working and compassionate staff who work with and care for the young people in our care”. She added: “Safer cells are only used when required and our intention is always to reintegrate individuals back into mainstream as quickly as it is safe to do so. The SPS takes all instances of self harm and threats to self-harm very seriously and we constantly review our processes to ensure those at risk are identified and supported effectively.”
Cabinet Secretary for Justice Humza Yousaf, said: “Any suicide in custody is a tragedy that has a profound effect on family and friends, as well as prison staff, and my thoughts are with the Allan family and all those who have lost loved ones to suicide.
“The review recommendations are detailed and wide-ranging. We will consider with the SPS, NHS and other partners further immediate actions in light of the review to improve the support and care for young people in custody as well as reflecting fully on the wider strategic recommendations in the report.” Yousaf is due to update Parliament by the end of June.
Wendy Sinclair Gieben, chief inspector of prisons, declined comment.
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