Lost in the lock-up

Learning disabled prisoners in Scotland feel lost in the system, says a new report published by the Prison Reform Trust. Many are not identified as having an impairment or are bullied. Others are excluded from rehabilitation courses and most prison staff do not have the training or resources to cope with their additional needs.

The author of the report, Nancy Locks, says that “significant numbers of prisoners are not receiving the support they need to address their offending behaviour, turn away from crime and lead constructive lives.” She wants the Prison Service to carry out a major review of how disabled prisoners are treated so that prison does not become “a double punishment”.

Mike Holmes, director of campaigns at Enable Scotland, said: “The findings are a disgrace. We welcome this research, which confirms what we already knew and leads the way in what needs to be done.”

The report’s findings echo similar findings from the Prison Reform Trust’s research in English prisons, which found that there is no routine screening of people with learning difficulties in the English system, that they, like their Scottish counterparts, face bullying, and that prison routines, buildings and rehabilitation programmes are not designed for them.