Overcrowding in Inverness was "regularly" the worst

The HM Inspectorate of Prisons study raises concerns that the average population of the jail in June this year was 46% above capacity.

The jail was however praised for its relationship between prisoners and staff, healthcare provision and learning opportunities.

The prison has a capacity of 108 but peaked at 167 in July.

The report, published by Scotland's Chief Inspector of Prisons, Dr Andrew McLellan, also called on the prison to urgently implement a system of sentence management for its long-term inmates in line with Scottish Prison Service (SPS) policy.

The key issue for the prison is getting the long-term prisoners and lifers back into the mainstream system Chief Inspector of Prisons report

It states: "Inverness is always one of Scotland's most overcrowded prisons and regularly the most overcrowded."

It notes that in July 2003 the prisoner population at Inverness peaked at 167, which was 55% above capacity.

The prison currently holds 11 long-term and two life sentence prisoners and was given until August this year to comply with sentence management arrangements for appropriate prisoners held within the jail.

The report noted at the time of inspection the prison had still not adopted such arrangements, which include assigning a personnel officer to each long-term prisoner, with whom they can meet to discuss their sentence.

The report states: "It is a cause for concern that the Sentence Management Scheme, which SPS has put in place for managing long-term prisoners, is not being carried out at Inverness,.

Long-term provision

"On top of this, Inverness has no psychology provision to support the scheme.

"It is recommended that the SPS urgently reconsiders the non-provision of sentence management to long-term prisoners being held in Inverness.

"The key issue for the prison is getting the long-term prisoners and lifers back into the mainstream system."

An SPS spokesman said that it was re-establishing a group to look at the issue of long-term prisoners who were not being held in the most appropriate prisons for their sentence, which included Inverness.