Concern over high number of women on remand at HMP Stirling

Bosses at Scotland's largest female prison say high numbers of remand prisoners are affecting their efforts to rehabilitate.

Deputy Governor Pam Terry said four in every 10 women at HMP Stirling had not been convicted of a crime - with some awaiting trial for more than two years.

Ms Terry is concerned women are more likely to be locked up before trial - despite most women's custody being for less serious offences.

Staff also say more older women and people with mental health issues are entering the justice system for the first time.

The Crown Office said it had set out measures to alleviate some of these pressures, including reducing unnecessary remand for individuals who do not pose a risk.

Terry believes having such a high remand population hampers rehabilitation.

She told Radio Scotland Breakfast: "I think the amount of women coming into custody on remand is an issue."

"It's an issue for the prison service as well because we need to ensure that we have space for all these people but we also need to make sure that when women are coming into custody, we can put them out the door in a better position.

"Remand is really difficult issue for us to manage."

Terry said that at HMP Stirling the remand prison population regularly sat above 40%.

Across Scotland, closer to a quarter of men and one third of women prisoners were awaiting trial.

Dr Hannah Graham of the University of Stirling said the reasons why women are placed on remand were complex.

"It's likely to be multiple reasons," the criminology lecturer said.

"It might be that there are alcohol and drug recovery considerations or there is mental distress.

"Women might also be put on remand so we know they will turn up to court, as well as small numbers of women being accused of offences that are sufficiently serious that we would expect remand to be imposed."

As a reception prison, HMP Stirling can be the first destination for women on remand or convicted and awaiting sentencing.

The £85m facility opened in 2023, and houses about 100 prisoners.

In addition to high remand rates, the governor said the prison was experiencing more older women entering prison for the first time.

"We're seeing more women coming into custody that you wouldn't normally anticipate," Terry added.

"We are seeing women who are new to us. They might be later on in life and they've never actually been in custody before and they do have quite significant mental health issues when they come into prison."

Terry added that it is often through exposure to the prison system that chronic mental health issues are identified.

She said many were women with addiction issues and some even had brain injuries caused through domestic violence.

"There's a huge amount of trauma built up over the years and when the women come in, a lot of the time they have hit breaking point and that's how they've ended up here because they're not able to cope out in society anymore.

"This is, in some cases unfortunately is a better place for them to be."

The nature of remand prisoners poses a particular challenge for staff as the length of time they are held can't be predicted.

They can be moved to make space, be found not guilty, or be freed.

And while in prison, they're not always entitled to access services that those who have been given a jail sentence can.

But staff try to help. Christina Hogg is a support and wellbeing manger.

She said: "You've got healthcare provision here, obviously through the NHS but when it comes to certain things they won't get access on remand because they might be out the next day, they might be out in seven days."

The Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service spokesperson said: "The lord advocate has issued guidance setting out measures that may help alleviate some of these pressures, including, reducing unnecessary remand for individuals who do not pose a risk, preventing the escalation of lower level offending and the assisting with the review of those already on remand."