Perth Prison has seen an influx of inmates from Aberdeen over the festive period, with the jail having to create space to accommodate them.
The Courier can reveal that between 60 and 70 prisoners from Aberdeen Prison have been moved due to both that prison and Peterhead prison closing next month to make way for the new £40m HMP Grampian in Peterhead.
In a move to help the Aberdeenshire prisoners, a video link is to be set up to let them to talk to their families online rather than having to travel to Perth to visit them.
HMP Perth governor Mike Inglis said that plans were made to create space for the Aberdeen inmates and he feels his prison can cope with the move.
“The prisoners will be here as part of a temporary move for a period until the new prison in Grampian is built around the end of March,” he said.
“Those inmates will go back up then which will mean Perth Prison will be down to around 630 rather than 700, which is more conducive.”
Mr Inglis said plans for the move had been in the pipeline for a couple of months and this involved moving “specific” prisoners from Perth, including some sex offenders.
He admitted the move to Perth would be a “challenge” for the Aberdeen inmates but outlined plans for a video link.
“They will be away from their families so we have developed a video conference facility for them so their families can go to the Apex centre in Aberdeen and can communicate that way, in what is a new initiative,” he added.
“This enhances family contact without their families having to travel all the way down from Aberdeen.”
Mr Inglis revealed the festive season can be a “difficult” time for Perth prisoners.
“This can be a difficult time and my team fully appreciate that,” he commented. “So we enhance family contact, particularly those prisoners with wives and children.”
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said that she hoped the move would not “impact” on HMP Perth.
“There has already been concerns expressed that families will need to travel further to visit the new Grampian Prison in Peterhead once Craiginches Prison in Aberdeen closes,” she said.
“Perth Prison has gained a very high reputation as a first-class facility and I hope that this move will not impact on Perth Prison and lead to overcrowding or additional pressures on the prison estate.
“It has been proven that good access to family members can help with rehabilitation. I am also concerned that this move may also add additional pressures for the families of prisoners.”
HMP Grampian will provide around 500 places for male and female prisoners, which is designed to accommodate prisoners from the Northern Community Justice Authority catchment area.