The number of prisoners absconding from open prisons has fallen, a report found today.
The size of the open prison population has also dropped due to changes brought in when an inmate absconded and raped a 16-year-old girl.
But there are still faults with the new admissions procedures to the country’s two open prisons, Castle Huntly and Noranside, both in Angus, according to a report published today by HM Inspector of Prisons for Scotland Andrew McLellan.
There was anger after Robert Foye raped a 16-year-old schoolgirl after escaping from Castle Huntly in August 2007. Today’s report finds there were 19 absconds and 19 failures to return to open prisons in the past year.
“Progress can be seen in the number of absconds,” the report says. “It is still a high number, but it is lower than it used to be.”
There is no fence around either Castle Huntly or Noranside.
The size of the open prison population dropped from 496 to 350 when entry was tightened up last year after a review by prison chiefs over the Foye case.
“The criteria for admissions to the open estate have been tightened considerably,” the report said.
“There are far fewer prisoners than there used to be. In September 2007 the population was 496; by the time of this inspection it had dropped to 350.”
The inspection was carried out in September last year.
The proportion of short-term prisoners has also dropped.
Staff and inmates say this and the overall fall in numbers has led to a more positive atmosphere with “better prisoners more suited to open conditions,” according to the report.
A Scottish Prison Service review of the Foye case last year found he met the criteria to be transferred, but it made a series of recommendations on improving the system.
But today’s inspection report finds two faults with the new admission procedures.
There is a lack of preparation in closed prisons for the move to the open estate and delays – of up to three months – in getting home leave after admission which can lead to “real frustration”.
But Mr McLellan voices fears that the “evil of overcrowding” could endanger the future of open prisons. “Since there is nowhere else to put prisoners it may be that a fence has to be put around the open estate and it is forced to become an ordinary prison to ease overcrowding.”
Mr McLellan says it will take courage to safeguard the future of the open estate. But he added: “It is courage which will serve the public good.”
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill welcomed Mr McLellan’s report.
“I am particularly reassured that he has found significant improvements in the risk assessment and risk management of prisoners following the Robert Foye case,” Mr MacAskill said. “I am also pleased at his praise of the open estate’s community work placements scheme which helps prisoners reintegrate into the wider community.”
Labour justice spokesman Richard Baker said: “The Robert Foye case seriously damaged public confidence in the open estate and it’s worrying that it took such a major incident to change the risk assessment system.
“It needs to be pointed out that the number of absconds is still too high.”
Tory justice spokesman Bill Aitken said: “The inspector’s report simply does not indicate whether the falling figures correspond with the fact that there are many fewer prisoners in the open estate.”