Unnamed respondent
Response (the responding body's words)The Scottish Prison Service (SPS), being a body to whom a recommendation under section 26(1)(b) was addressed, do respond as follows.
Recommendation 1
– “The Scottish Prison Service should review the Standard Operation Procedure: Prisoner Numbers Checks – Completing & Recording (reference number SOP 403) for HMP Glenochil to align the language contained within it to that contained within the Scottish Prison Service’s Governors and Managers: Action (GMA 016A/16) notice.”
Response
– SPS have reviewed and updated the Standard Operating Procedure: Prisoner Numbers Checks – Completing & Recording (reference number SOP 403) for HMP Glenochil to state that “the first Officer will physically unlock each door, seeing the face and gaining a verbal response from the occupant within.” This now aligns with the wording contained within the Scottish Prison Service’s Governors and Managers Action (GMA 016A/16) which states that “appropriate steps should be taken to see the face of, and get a verbal response from all prisoners during all lock up and unlocking periods.”
You may also wish to note that SPS have now implemented an online learning package for all frontline operational staff which has been incorporated into the yearly Control and Restraint training. This went live in March 2024. This learning package covers the necessity of adhering to the SPS locking and unlocking procedures to ensure that all officers will take appropriate steps to see the face of and get a verbal response from all prisoners.
Recommendation 1
– “The Scottish Prison Service should review the Standard Operation Procedure: Prisoner Numbers Checks – Completing & Recording (reference number SOP 403) for HMP Glenochil to align the language contained within it to that contained within the Scottish Prison Service’s Governors and Managers: Action (GMA 016A/16) notice.”
Response
– SPS have reviewed and updated the Standard Operating Procedure: Prisoner Numbers Checks – Completing & Recording (reference number SOP 403) for HMP Glenochil to state that “the first Officer will physically unlock each door, seeing the face and gaining a verbal response from the occupant within.” This now aligns with the wording contained within the Scottish Prison Service’s Governors and Managers Action (GMA 016A/16) which states that “appropriate steps should be taken to see the face of, and get a verbal response from all prisoners during all lock up and unlocking periods.”
You may also wish to note that SPS have now implemented an online learning package for all frontline operational staff which has been incorporated into the yearly Control and Restraint training. This went live in March 2024. This learning package covers the necessity of adhering to the SPS locking and unlocking procedures to ensure that all officers will take appropriate steps to see the face of and get a verbal response from all prisoners.