Introduction
Since September 2011, the Committee has been examining the progress made towards implementing the recommendations arising from HM Chief Inspector of Prisons’ latest inspection of HMP & YOI Cornton Vale, published in June 2011.
Correspondence
On 6 September 2011, the Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, the Cornton Vale Prison Visiting Committees and the Governor of HMP and YOI Cornton Vale requesting updates on progress in addressing the Chief Inspector’s findings.
Following visits to HMP & YOI Cornton Vale, HMP Edinburgh, and the 218 Service in Glasgow on 12 December, the Committee agreed on 20 December to request a further update from the Scottish Prison Service on the Chief Inspector’s outstanding recommendations.
Throughcare on release from custody
The Committee also agreed on 20 December to write to all local authorities and health boards seeking details of the level of throughcare they provide to female offenders on release from custody.
A list of all local authorities and health boards who have been asked to provide details of their throughcare provision is below, with links to those responses that have been received so far.
Aberdeenshire Council
Highland Council
Inverclyde Council
Moray Council
NHS Forth Valley
NHS Shetland
NHS Western Isles
A paper summarising the responses received from local authorities and health boards has been produced by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
Commission on Women Offenders
The Scottish Government established a Commission on Women Offenders in June 2011 to look at ways to improve the outcomes for women in the criminal justice system. The Commission published its report on 17 April 2012 and the Committee took evidence from the Commission on 26 June 2012.
One of the recommendations of the report was that the Cabinet Secretary for Justice should report to the Scottish Parliament within six months of the publication of the Commission's report, and annually thereafter, on the steps taken to implement the recommendations in this report.
Read more about the Cabinet Secretary's annual reports to Parliament.