THE plight of prisoners is not a popular cause.
But as political parties across the spectrum prepare to publish their Holyrood manifestos, they would do well to consider the words of Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
“The degree of civilisation in a society is revealed by entering its prisons,” he wrote, reflecting on the conditions in which men and women were held in jails in his nineteenth century Russia.
Last week’s report on Scotland’s only women ‘s prison, HMP Cornton Vale, again highlighted ongoing problems about how our country deals with female offenders – the vast majority of whom pose no danger to anyone.
We heard that some women had to go to the toilet in their own sinks at night-time and many were afraid to raise complaints about the manner in which they were being detained.
Periodically, senior politicians, including both the current Justice Secretary Michael Matheson and his predecessor Kenny MacAskill acknowledge the shortcomings of the current criminal justice system and insist the Government will do better. But months down the line another damning report comes out.
The announcement earlier this month that the process to close Cornton Vale would start this summer has been widely welcomed.
However, ministers must now continue to address the underlying reasons why Scotland has so many women in jail who ought not to be there: women struggling with alcohol and drug problems and mental health issues.
These women are victims of society and need help – not to be locked up in a prison cell.
If the Scottish Government is genuine about improving its approach to this problem it must invest in community services to support these women before they turn to crime and risk ending up in jail.
Rosie Kane tells of jail humiliation at Cornton Vale protest
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