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2. CONDITIONS

Outcome

Prisoners are held in conditions that provide the basic necessities of life and health, including adequate air, light, water, exercise in the fresh air, food, bedding and clothing.

2.1 Not fully met. The basic necessities of life are provided and the quality of food is good. However, some living areas do not have natural light; some cells have unscreened toilets; arrangements for the provision of underwear are poor; the timing of meals is poor; and the arrangements for food at weekends are very poor. Some mattresses are also in a very poor condition.

Population

2.2 HMP Dumfries serves the courts of Dumfries and Galloway. It has a design capacity of 179. The average daily population in 2007 was 203 prisoners. On the first day of the inspection there were 194 prisoners unlocked as follows:

2.3 The highest number that the prison has held, prior to the inspection, was 207.

2.4 The prison holds up to 100 local male prisoners who are remanded in custody for trial and those convicted but remanded for reports. Short-term convicted male prisoners may be kept in Dumfries or transferred to another establishment according to the length of their sentence and the availability of spaces. It also provides a national mainstream facility for holding up to 95 long-term and short-term prisoners who require to be separated from mainstream prisoners because of the nature of their offence (sex offenders).

Accommodation Areas

2.5 There are five main Residential Halls ('A','B','C','D'and 'E'). Outwith these is also an area 'A'1 (previously known as the Observation Suite), and a basement ('B'Zero) which includes prisoners in segregation. Overall there are 14 separate living areas in the prison comprising cellular and dormitory provision.

'A' Hall

'A'1

2.6 This area (still referred to as the Observation Suite by staff) houses prisoners at risk of self-harm or those seen as vulnerable and needing extra support. It comprises two reduced ligature cells, a four bedded dormitory cell and a single cell. All cells have integral sanitation and electric power. The anti ligature cells do not have televisions. The toilet in the single cell is not enclosed. It is recommended that toilets in all cells should be enclosed.

2.7 The dormitory has four beds with little space in between them. One of the beds is on a slight elevation to accommodate a heating pipe. There is only space for two chairs and one bed did not have a mattress. Decoration is poor. The four bed dormitory should be upgraded and made fit for purpose.

2.8 Two showers and a toilet, all in good condition and offering adequate opportunity for privacy are available in the main living area.

2.9 Prisoners are able to access a telephone in the central living/recreation area, and appropriate notices are in place for this. A television, microwave, table, chairs, filing cabinets and hoover are also situated in this area. A hot water urn is also located here.

2.10 The prisoner notice board was lacking information on services available within the prison such as health, addictions, social work and chaplaincy. No complaint forms were readily available.

'A'2 and 'A'3

2.11 This area comprises 14 cells over two floors, and has capacity to hold 30 prisoners. It houses short-term convicted prisoners. Twelve cells are double occupancy. A further two cells house three prisoners. All cells have integral sanitation. A number of mattresses in this hall should be replaced as they are thin and worn. Some are also split. Sheets were being used as curtains in some cells, in others the curtains were rags. All cells have power points, televisions, kettles, tables and chairs and individual lockable safes, although some of these were broken. The whole area should be redecorated.

2.12 There are four shower areas which were clean and well maintained. However, electrical cleaning equipment is stored in these areas which restricts access.

2.13 The central living/recreation area is very cramped and a couple of the window panes were cracked. The officer station on the ground floor does not allow privacy for private conversation. The communal TV faces this desk. A telephone with canopy is available for use during recreation times.

2.14 There was very little information on the prisoner notice board. Complaint forms were not readily available. On the ground floor there are wall radiators running floor to ceiling and these were very hot.

'B' Hall

2.15 'B' Hall houses long-term convicted sex offenders. The accommodation is mostly single cell. The capacity of the hall is 50 over three floors. Each of the floors is treated as a separate unit connected by an external stairway. All cells have integral sanitation and electrical power.

'B'1

2.16 'B'1 is used to accommodate prisoners who are classed as elderly or infirm. Prisoners in this area do not go to the central area for meals. Their meals are transported by lift, from the kitchen and served in a heated servery. Meals are eaten in cell. All cells are single and have a television, kettle, table and chair. There is a telephone with a canopy which can be accessed during recreation times.

2.17 There are three showers in the central living/recreation area, and all were clean and allowed privacy. There is also a pool table and television. Three wheelchairs, all in good condition, are available in this area in the event that prisoners require to be evacuated. There are also a couple of high backed sturdy chairs. There is no natural light in the central area.

'B'2

2.18 'B'2 has 17 cells, one of which is a dormitory for three people. There are three showers and one toilet situated at the far end of the hall, opposite the officer station. Whilst the showers afforded privacy in terms of adequate screening, the positioning of a security camera was poor and afforded little dignity. This was corrected during the inspection. A telephone with canopy is also situated in this central area. The area is bright and well ventilated. There is also a television and pool table in the central living/recreation area.

2.19 While the single cells are an adequate size, and were clean and the décor bright, the three bed dormitory was small. It contained only two chairs. Some of the mattresses and pillows in this hall should be replaced.

2.20 The full range of complaint forms was not readily available. The prisoner notice board lacked information regarding services available within prison. A selection of literature on national initiatives was available, including Race Relations, Capability Scotland, Equality and Diversity. A leaflet advertising the local anti-violence confidential telephone line was also evident.

'B'3

2.21 'B'3 - has the same standard of living accommodation as 'B'2. There is also one three bed dormitory area. The décor of all cells was satisfactory. The shower area was clean and afforded privacy, but again the positioning of the camera caused concern.

2.22 The prisoner notice board was similar to 'B'2, with the exception that there were no easily accessed complaints forms at all. There was information with regards to some services including the Listeners Scheme and the Father and Child Visit Scheme. A pool table, television, selection of reading material and table tennis table were available for recreational use.

2.23 Prisoners in 'B'2 and 'B'3 go to the dining hall for meals.

'B' Zero

2.24 This area has two separate living areas with a door separating them. One area is the Segregation Unit (described at paragraph 6.17).

2.25 The second area houses local short-term and remand prisoners who have requested protection. There are nine cells; three single and six double. Eighteen prisoners were living in this area at the time of the inspection. All cells have integral sanitation, which is enclosed.

2.26 All cells have televisions, kettles, tables and chairs. However, the cells are in need of decoration, and window covering should be provided to replace the bed sheets currently in use. Some mattresses require replacing.

2.27 Prisoners located in 'B' Zero spend long periods within their cells with little to do other than watch TV. The living conditions are cramped and dark. There is little or no opportunity for a prisoner to have any time alone, and prisoners describe the atmosphere as tense as a result of this.

2.28 The central living/recreational area is not fit for purpose. There is no natural light and the area is not big enough to accommodate 18 prisoners safely when they are all out of their cell. The central area also comprises a pool table, officer station, and a telephone with a wooden hood (without a canopy) which is positioned directly opposite the officer station. The last inspection report highlighted that this should be re-positioned but this has not been addressed. Also in this area are a communal television, a post-box (which was broken and could not be secured), laundry bags, bins, a sink unit, and a table with selection of literature (some of which needs to be updated as the information was written in 2005 when the unit was known as the Behavioural Change Unit). Prisoners have access to a microwave.

2.29 Prisoners in this area have the use of one communal toilet and two showers, both of which were clean. A number of prisoners said that they were rushed when accessing shower facilities due to the lack of time out of cell and the number who required to use them. Prisoners in this area do not access the dining area but receive their meals from the kitchen via a heated meal trolley. Meals are delivered in plastic trays, from which prisoners eat. They eat their meals in cell.

2.30 During the inspection it was noted on a number of occasions that this group of prisoners appeared to be locked up for longer periods of time than others. An officer was not always available. Prisoners also spoke of receiving less access to work, recreation, education, library, and chaplaincy services.

2.31 Information on the prisoner notice board was poor. There was no information on services within the prison. Complaint forms were available for race relations although no other complaint forms could be accessed without asking an officer.

2.32 The practice of calling young remand prisoners 'young offenders' is common in 'B' Zero. It is recommended that this practice stops.

'C' Hall

2.33 'C' Hall houses long term convicted sex offender prisoners. The accommodation is on four floors with each floor comprising 10 single cells. Each floor is treated as a separate unit. There is electronic night sanitation throughout 'C' Hall. Whilst the areas are clean some cells are showing signs of wear and tear. All cells have a table and chair, television and kettle.

2.34 Toilet facilities are located at the entrance to each floor and comprise showers with wooden screens, enclosed toilets and urinals. One of the showers ('C'4) was broken and out of use. A number of prisoners in this hall had two mattresses. This allowed them greater comfort than that available to remand prisoners. Whilst the majority of mattresses were satisfactory some were showing signs of wear and tear and some were very thin.

2.35 Recreational areas in this hall are separate from the main living areas. 'C'2 and 'C'3 have their own recreation area, while one other recreation area is shared between 'C'4 and 'C'5. Although these recreation areas are of a much higher standard in terms of furnishing than the rest of the prison there is no natural light in the 'C'2 & 'C'3 areas. The room is also very warm. Prisoners have access to pool, table tennis and darts. A telephone with canopy is available in each of these recreation areas. An officer station is also situated in both areas.

2.36 No complaint forms were readily accessible in this hall. However, prisoner notice boards appeared to be tailored to the long-term population and there was a greater variety of information than elsewhere in the prison.

2.37 Prisoners in this hall go to the dining hall for meals.

'D' Hall

2.38 The accommodation in 'D' hall is located on the first floor and is inaccessible to prisoners with severe mobility problems. The rooms are in three sections. There is one five person dormitory, five four person dormitories, five three person rooms and six double rooms. All rooms have an enclosed toilet and two of the two person rooms have a shower. The prisoners in 'D' hall dine in a dining room. All of the rooms have sufficient natural light and there is a lockable safe for each prisoner in every room although two were damaged. Bed spaces do not have reading lights and in some cells prisoners can only get enough light to read at night by using light from the toilet by keeping the door ajar. This should be addressed.

2.39 Some of the cells were reasonably spacious although none had a chair for each occupant. In some rooms the accommodation felt cramped. Not all bunk beds had a ladder to access the upper bunk and one of the upper bunks had the safety rail hanging off. These issues should be addressed. There was graffiti in some of the rooms and a number of posters displayed inappropriate pictures of women.

2.40 Not all rooms had wardrobes and of those that were available many had the door or rail missing. Many of the drawer units were also damaged. Although some of the mattresses were thin, the bedding in general was clean. Many of the rooms had no curtains and sheets were used as make shift curtains. Some of the rooms had excessive inflammable material.

2.41 Overall, the rooms in 'D' hall are showing the excessive wear and tear associated with over-crowded high turnover halls.

'E' Hall

2.42 'E' Hall comprises two four bed dormitories, two bed dormitories and one cell classed as an observation cell. It houses local short-term convicted prisoners who participate in a "progressive regime" and are working towards release. All rooms have in cell sanitation, electricity, kettles and televisions. There is one shower unit for communal use. The shower curtain was clean, although it was also ripped and torn and should be replaced. Another cell has a shower, toilet and wash basin.

2.43 A number of mattresses in this area were damaged. Graffiti was also evident on walls and ceilings. Some of the prisoner's sheets had cigarette burn marks, and some pillows were stained. A door was hanging off one of the in cell toilets, and a broken mirror was being used in another cell. One of the front sections of bunk beds was broken. The cell areas generally are dated, need to be kept cleaner and need to be decorated. A number of the dormitories were also cramped and untidy.

2.44 Prisoners in this area have the use of a washing machine and dryer to launder their own clothes. They can use the large kitchen area. They also have access to a small outside courtyard area. The recreation facility comprises pool table, television, exercise bike, play station, books and videos. Prisoners in this area spoke of being given more trust and getting extra visits.

2.45 Complaint forms were readily accessible in this hall. Prisoners in this area eat in the dining hall or make light meals in the kitchen at weekends.

Conclusion

2.46 The accommodation in Dumfries is not good. There is a lot of dormitory accommodation which detracts from the opportunity for privacy. The furniture in 'A' and 'D' Halls was either missing or broken, and the condition of mattresses was extremely poor. It has a run down feel and many areas need major redecoration. The building is also very complex in terms of design and how the halls are utilised. It is important that particular groups of prisoners are kept apart but it is not easy for staff to reach all parts of the prison quickly in an emergency. The sheer number of individual residential units is confusing.

Exercise Areas

2.47 There are two main outdoor exercise areas where prisoners are able to take exercise. These areas have a small seated area, and flowers have been planted in raised boxes.

2.48 There is also a large prison garden with a football pitch, an enclosed quadrangle space at the centre of 'D' Hall, and a similar quadrangle at 'E' Hall.

2.49 During the inspection the main exercise areas were used only occasionally, with the majority of exercise observed being undertaken in the quadrangle area of 'D' Hall. During the weekend this area contained litter which had been thrown from 'D' Hall cell windows. It is recommended that prisoners are offered quality exercise in the designated main exercise areas.

2.50 Prisoners have access to fleeces to wear in the fresh air. Waterproofs are available for those who wish them.

Catering

2.51 The kitchen employs 12 prisoners and is clean and efficient. Two prisoners were studying for an SVQ at Level 1 in catering.

2.52 The quality of food is good and most areas eat in a communal dining room. There is a good choice of menu, (apart from at the weekend), with healthy choices, and prisoners can have five pieces of fruit or vegetables every day if they wish. This provision is exceptional and is an area of good practice.

2.53 Food Focus groups are in place and can influence to a degree the menu. Diets are catered for and the kitchen employs one Muslim prisoner. Medical diets are dealt with on an individual basis. A catering complaints book is in place but it is rarely used.

2.54 The times at which meals are served are not good. There are two sittings for lunch and tea with short-term prisoners eating first:

2.55 At weekends brunch is served between 10.15-10.45 and 10.45-11.15. Tea is served between 16.00-16.30 and 16.30-17.00.

2.56 An evening snack pack is also served at weekends. The weekend brunch is poor. There is no opportunity within the dining area to obtain a drink. The brunch consists of two filled rolls containing bacon, sausage, egg or cheese. Prisoners can only receive two rolls with the same filling. If they wish two different rolls they have to swap with another prisoner.

2.57 Overall, the quality and choice of food is good but the timing of meals should be reviewed. The brunch available is inadequate and should be improved.

Canteen

2.58 The arrangement for prisoners' canteen is "bag and tag". Two members of staff and one prisoner operate the canteen. The storage area for stock is small but adequate. All but one item of stock were well within the "use by" date. Stock is obtained once a week and the canteen tries to keep up with demand. There was no stock for ethnic minority prisoners although requests can be made through outside purchases.

2.59 Canteen sheets are handed out on a Monday night and all categories of prisoners are provided with their order within reasonable timescales. Outside purchases can also be made: these include certain foods, greetings cards, flowers, etc. Arrangements for outside purchases are good. Despite this, the canteen was very unpopular with prisoners who criticised it constantly during the inspection.

Clothing and Laundry

2.60 Nine convicted prisoners are employed in the laundry. The laundry officer has undertaken a Guild of Cleaners and Launderers qualification since the last full inspection and is now able to offer SVQ training and supervision. One prisoner had just registered to complete an SVQ at Level 2 in laundry.

2.61 A laundry rota is in place which enables an individual's laundry to be washed four days per week (if convicted), and two days per week (if on remand). A process is in place to ensure that bedding is laundered weekly. However, no routine planned washing of duvets has been undertaken for nine months, although prisoners can request to have their duvets washed. A routine programme for washing duvets should be reintroduced.

2.62 Although a system is in place to ensure that clothing is returned promptly, a number of prisoners spoke of clothing "going missing". The laundry officer has introduced a system where individual lists are checked and monitored on a regular basis.

2.63 All convicted prisoners are given a "kit bag" with their individual identifier on admission. New underwear and socks are only supplied if requested. Remand prisoners are supplied with this from 'D' Hall Storage. No underwear is available to remand prisoners in 'D' Hall. Should a prisoner require underwear on admission this is given out in reception on the first night. However, prisoners are not aware of this process and as it can take at least a week for prisoners to get their own clothing sent into prison, they can wear one set of underwear for up to a week. Prisoners spoke of sharing underwear with new admissions. It is recommended that all new admissions are issued with underwear.

2.64 All allocated clothing appeared to be in good condition and there is a system in place to dispose of old clothes and towels. The prison had recently purchased new towels for all prisoners.

2.65 Procedures are in place for bio-hazard washing and infection control.

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