Serving time is not a “soft” sentence, a former prisoner has told MSPs.
Holyrood’s justice committee heard today that there is a “serious lack of capacity” for prisoners to engage in purposeful activities which would help them integrate back into society after their release.
Meanwhile, the ratio of time spent on purposeful activity such as work, vocational training, education classes, PE or visits compared with time spent on the wing or in cells is “very much less than might be considered desirable or effective”, Pete White, co-ordinator of the charity Positive Prisons? Positive Futures, said.
Mr White, a former prisoner, said access to classes in areas such as literacy and numeracy, as well as creative pursuits such as art in order to boost prisoners’ self-worth, need to be improved.
Those serving sentences in jails should be treated as individuals and asked for their views on education opportunities and activities, he added.
Mr White was challenged by committee convener Christine Grahame, who said: “This isn’t my view, but some people might say that’s going soft on them. Why should people listen to them?”
He replied: “Do we want these people to come out of prisons ready to be citizens, or do we expect them to be segregated continually in the community after their release?
“If inside prison anyone thinks it’s soft, from my personal experience, even though I was a prisoner inside the new part of Edinburgh prison, I wouldn’t think it would be fair to describe it as soft.
“When you have no liberty, no freedom of movement, and the freedom you have to associate with people is controlled by people in uniforms, that in itself is not soft.
“Secondly, being banged up in a cell is not soft, and being made to eat the food that is provided is not soft … although in some cases it is excellent, I have to say.”
Mr White was appearing before the committee as part of its inquiry into purposeful activity in prisons.
His views were backed by Brigadier Hugh Monro, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, who has previously expressed concerns about access to education and activities.
Brig Monro suggested a national review of the area could be used to produce a national strategy which would take account of local variances.
The committee also heard from former Dundee councillor Neil Powrie, convener of the Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments, who said provision of education for those in prison on short-term sentences and remand needs to be addressed.
“Our other difficulty which is a barrier to education is lack of access to the internet. It is possible to block access to inappropriate sites,” he noted.
“We find from our experience talking to education staff and prisoners that this is a hinder to many education courses.”