Violence is commonplace within the walls of Perth Prison, shocking new statistics have revealed.
Since April last year there have been 69 recorded incidents at the Edinburgh Road jail 12 prisoner-on-staff assaults and 57 prisoner-on-prisoner attacks.
The figures show Perth is not alone among Scotland’s jails suffering from violence 187 assaults were carried out by prisoners on prison officers since April last year and there were 765 recorded incidents of prisoners attacking other inmates.
It also emerged that there were no attacks on guards in the open prisons of Castle Huntly and Noranside in the past year and only one prisoner-on-prisoner assault was recorded.
The figures were revealed after a parliamentary question was put by Tory MSP Gavin Brown to the Scottish Government.
The level of attacks brought condemnation from local politicians, who called for action.
Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Liz Smith said, “The number of prison staff that were assaulted in prisons in Scotland last year is completely unacceptable and action is required to tackle this.
“Any prisoner that assaults a member of prison staff must be charged to the full extent of the law.
“Such a zero-tolerance approach is required.”
She added, “Every time a prison guard is assaulted, a prisoner must be prosecuted.
“What kind of message does it send if they are not?”
Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser said, “It is worrying to learn that there has been 12 prisoner assaults on prison staff in the last year as well as 57 prisoner assaults on other prisoners at Perth Prison.
“Violence cannot be condoned in our society and prison staff must be protected in their work place.”
The Scottish Prison Service said that, for open prisons, there was an in-built incentive for prisoners to steer clear of physical confrontation with guards.Strictest-everA spokesman said, “The open estate now has the strictest-ever criteria for prisoners to move there.
“Prisoners who successfully meet the criteria know that they are being tested on their responsibility and fitness for release in the future.
“Any serious behaviour breach, such as assault, will result in return to a closed prison for the remainder of their sentence.”
There were no attacks on guards at Peterhead Prison, home to many of Scotland’s convicted sex offenders, and HMP Dumfries.
Topping the list for assaults on guards was the privately-run Addiwell prison in West Lothian, with 45 attacks on staff between last April and this month.
Edinburgh’s Saughton logged 16 attacks, while high-security HMP Shotts reported only six.
Saughton reported the joint highest total of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults during the period, recording 93 along with Glasgow’s Barlinnie jail.
The Polmont Young Offenders Institution in Falkirk topped the league with 180 inmate-on-inmate attacks.
Scottish Prison Officers Association assistant general secretary Derek Turner said, “There are always tensions in a prison because, at the end of the day, you’re locking people up and many of them have a propensity to violence.
“We do anything possible to mitigate against (attacks) happening, in terms of training.
“It’s difficult to avoid, but we do everything possible to do so.”