Prison Documents

Remand Prisoner from 9/8-4/10-2001 in The Ross House.

Prisoner No. 56658.

I write this report to make the conditions, well hidden behind the closed doors of Cornton Vale, visible to the outside world. For two periods I have been a prisoner at Cornton Vale. The first time was in 1999 on remand and latest was this year on remand as well as serving a sentence for different peace protests and non-violent direct actions towards the Trident nuclear submarines at Faslane/Coulport. I hope that this report will bring some help in the end for the many young people imprisoned at Cornton Vale, who have not the energy and/or the skills to bring a complaint through the whole long and stressful procedure a complaint takes. Most complaints will never reach other people than those the complaint is about, and nothing happens in most of the cases. I also hope others being in the right position will follow up this report and make a more transparent complaint system available for inmates at SPS.

Please note that I have not English/Scottish as my first language. The complaints forms and this report are made in the best English I can manage at present and I excuse my grammar and spelling mistakes.

I am aware of reports made by Ms. Angie Zelter in 1999, and I will pay attention to the fact that not much has changed since I was remanded for 19 weeks in the same period as Ms. Angie Zelter in Younger House. This unit has not changed much since. Except from the walls have been painted and some furniture are installed at the sitting rooms. The Ross House for remanded prisoners however is finished now and this new, light and well-kept unit is indeed a huge improvement of the physical frames.

In Ross House I was happy to have a single cell with toilet. The unit was clean and there were good facilities for shower. There was done a lot to make a good atmosphere and the sitting rooms were in a fine standard with radio, television, games, books and even an aquarium with two fish swimming around. The dinner room and the silent room was a very appreciated change. I was also aware of the change in access to the working tea-bag packing plant on Remand, which makes your days much easier inside.

I will describe some different situations and issues as I saw and experienced them. In general we were treated like kinder garden children, despite this is a prison for grown up people. I found it for example difficult to show respect to some of the officers who could not speak and approach me as a grown up person you can talk to. I think here especially on the very lout shouting way some officers practice in stead of take a walk to the unit and tell people the message in a normal voice level. Some officers had no problem doing this and were polite and respectful in their behaviours, but some of the officers have still a lot to learn from those colleagues.

During my stay it became clear to me that many problems and complaints was excused with lack of staff. In that connection I would like to pay attention to the way the officers dealt with all kind of questions or requests from the inmates. Normally you have to ask 4,5 sometimes 6 times and it could take weeks to get a response to your requests. If the staff took people serious and followed up questions and requests the first time they were asked, I am sure there could be saved at lot of energy, and the staff would make it much easier for themselves not having inmates running up and down asking all the time. Complaint forms

I did not find many reasons to complain when remanded, but a few were necessary and I could have made a formal complaint about the lack of exercise and fresh air, but made only a request form on that. I started some complaints in Younger House. Because I was not convicted for more than three weeks I never ended these complaints. These complaints forms will remain in the unit and are only dealt with by the same officers the complaints are directed towards. I have made a transcript inclusive the answers from the officers for your information, because I believe some of the points made are direct breaches of my rights and need to be brought into some forums outside the prison system to be dealt with. For example could I mention the right to health and safety, right to fresh air and exercise daily, right to access to toilet facilities, right to visits (see the transcript of complaint below), phone calls and right to unlimited letters to be sent out, which also ought to include the right to letter paper, envelopes and stamps (see below under pro forms).

In one complaint I was given an excuse. That was fine and the officer dealt serious with the problem; But what does it help when another officer next day continue the very same process that made me complain?

I find that the complaint forms mostly are some tools to keep the inmates occupied. It takes quite an effort to go through the whole procedure and most women in Cornton Vale do even not have the skills or energy to go through that process. I also felt it was a hard and nearly hopeless act to handle, and therefore I decided to make this report. At least I wish to give an impression of the many smaller problems that occur in the daily life in a prison. Many smaller problems over a long period can be very stressful for women who often have very serious problems and crises and some women are not able to deal with this in the end. Pro forms

Very often when requests were made for envelopes and letter paper I was told there were none left.

Stamps should not be limited by the small amount of money you earn when convicted. It prevents you from being able to send out unlimited letters, which is your right. I personally had problems to be able to keep my mailing up to date under these restrictions. Several times I had to wait to send out mail. I also asked for a big envelope for a letter that could not be contained in the small envelopes provided, but had to wait until a pro form was received, filled in and given to the staff, handed back a week later and sent out to friends outside to bring it to the prison. A process that takes nearly two weeks is not acceptable when requests is for materials that you have a right to.

Phone cards should be allowed to have in your possession when you are remanded. When convicted you are allowed to keep the phone cards in your possession. Very often you can’t make a call during the daytime, because the staff is not at the office at first floor. In the evening the 2 phones available are often occupied the whole recreation period, and some calls do need to be dealt with during the daytime and some need to be dealt with the same day.

I asked for a bag and some legal papers in a blue file to be handed in. It took more than a week to get the file after this was delivered from supporters to the reception in the Visitor House. I noticed that the file was found under the desk in the reception in Ross house, where I had asked for it several times every day for a whole week. To be able to give the solicitors instructions for court and documents for trials it is necessary to have this kind of material handed in without delay.

Another pro form I filled in came back to me to be sent out after I had already received the things I requested. I returned the pro form to the Governor and noted on the pro form, why they had all that administration when it was not working in reality. A lot of staff could be released for other more urgent work if the bureaucracy could be cut down. Health and safety

I suffer from allergy and my skin is because of that extremely dry. I need daily treatment with skin care without perfume. I was without treatment nearly 2 weeks. I was prescribed an ointment from the doctor the 10/8, and I asked every morning the nurse if it was arrived. After a complaint from my solicitor in letter of 15^th August I got the prescribed ointment (which is not working as well as the cheap skin care product I normally use and which I can buy in the supermarket) but better than nothing at least. I would like to suggest that there at least is one skin care product available on the shopping list which is without perfume and allergy tested and that prisoners are allowed to use own product until other is available.

The allergy is normally not a problem for me if I avoid unnecessary contact with cats, dogs, feathers, house dust mites, chlorine and nuts. In practice I have to do extra cleaning and try to have no dyne and pillow in the room during the day. Then I am able to cope without bothering symptoms.

In The Ross House I had a single room and the cleaning standard in the unit is satisfying. I could even put my duvet and pillow under the bed at daytime. In The Younger House the problem was worse. I shared a room and there was no possibility to put away the dyne and pillow during the day. The general cleaning standard was low all over. Further more there were used sterilising tablets containing chlorine to clean the floor and the sink in the room and in the areas outside the rooms. I suffered from nose bleeding every morning, and in the end I began to suffer from sinus pain and breathing problems. Luckily I was let out before this needed treatment.

I would like to mention that I 1999 I was remanded in four and a half month and my sinus problem at that time got so bad that I ended up with severe pains and had to stay in bed with fever. I did not receive any treatment in Cornton Vale. First when I came to court a doctor was called by the Judge and he prescribed antibiotics and painkillers.

I never suffer from sinus problems or nose bleedings when I am outside the prison. I am convinced the problem could have been solved if I had got a single room and fresh air every day.

One day I was in the closed waiting room in the reception when the floor was washed with disinfections containing chlorine. I got breathing problems and was offered some antihistamine from the nurse, which I refused because I know these tablets have unwanted side effects on me. I tried some days later to have a talk with the doctor about the health risk when chlorine was used to wash floors especially in rooms without proper ventilation or access to fresh air. I mentioned in that connection also the health risk for the inmates doing the daily cleaning in the reception and for the staff that works there. This was obviously not his responsibility. In fact the nurse slammed the door after me after that talk. I gave up and suffered from breathing and nose problems all three weeks as convicted, but if my stay had been longer I am sure I would had had damaged my health severely.

The lack of toilet facilities in the rooms in Younger is a constant problem for all. For nearly a week I suffered from diarrhoea. Two of the days when it was worst, I experienced not to be let out of the cell for more than three hours in order to get to a toilet. I was even not offered one of the cardboard potties. I tried to knock on the door and to call at the emergency system telling again and again it was urgent. In the end I had to use what I could find available in the room. The officer did hear me already when I knocked the door the first time, but left the unit and ignored me totally. After more than an hour waiting time he locked every one else out for toilet and then he opened my door 10 centimetres. He did deliberately not let me out. I told him it was much too late and asked for a green disposal bag (special for that kind of disposal). He locked the door and went off and I saw him first again when we were let out at lunchtime about 2 hours later. I will also mention the health risk for others all the time I had no access to a proper disposal bag. I could have spread an epidemic to the whole unit. I felt this incident so disgusting and considered it as a harassment and humiliation. Next day the same thing happened again.

I still wonder what this officer is thinking he gains from that kind of behaviour. He should find himself a new job if he is tired of opening doors for people. His behaviour that day is only one of many situations of power abuse prisoners daily has to deal with.

I will mention two relative positive things that were dealt with in the end. Relative positive, because I should really take those things for granted, but in Cornton Vale I realise nothing is to be taken for granted. Firstly I managed to have a broken tooth done. It took only a week to get to the dentist. After some days an abscess occurred around the wound and I asked to see a doctor. I was told it would take 3 days to a week. Luckily the abscess disappeared again after a few days treating the problem with a solution of saltwater the only thing available I could find to rinse the wound with. Secondly I managed to get a new heel to put inside my shoe for medical reasons. It was delivered after a visit to the hospital for measurement. I was not allowed to use the heel I had brought in myself. I was nearly out of remand before I got the heel and I had to suffer from serious back pain, which also was aggravated by the lack of proper exercise. Outside exercise and gymnasium

Fresh air and physical exercise daily should be a human right, but obviously not in Cornton Vale. All the time in Ross House I asked for fresh air. In the end I handed in a request form for fresh air and physical exercise to the unit officer. Then some days later the supervisor of the unit told me that I could get fresh air every day half an hour when lunch was finished, and that I should talk with him if there was any problems with that. The only problem was, that he was not there or I did not see him around the next couple of weeks, and since we were locked up after lunch every day or had to sit on the stairs in the hall for half an hour after lunch waiting to be brought to the working plant, I did not get any fresh air. Several days I continued to ask and was told there was a meeting, not staff enough, and one day I was on my way outside I was called back again and told it was cancelled. At least that day I was told they were sorry! But that does not compensate for the need of fresh air. There were days now and then where we could get outside, but it was more the rule not getting outside.

In the end of my time at remand I was contacted by a Governor about the out side exercise problem. I think this was brought up mostly because some supporters of mine had written letters to the Governor. But it made not much of a change anyway.

I got 2 times of half an hour access to the gymnasium during the nearly two months on remand. I did some minutes exercises every day in my room or where I had a chance and room to do so without disturbing others, but not good enough to keep your muscles fit.

I have been out for a month now and I am beginning to have a normal physical condition again, but I have still not been able to get back to the top condition I was in when I arrived at Cornton Vale and my breathing is still not optimal.

I realise that most of the young women in Cornton Vale are not minded for outside physical exercises, but I insisted on that because it’s important for the health in general. It’s a right we have and should be provided without creating huge problems for the inmates. I should maybe bring to your attention that I am much older than the average of inmates, so there is maybe in this matter also a culture or "generation" problem to consider. Even trying to be as much tolerant and broadminded as possible there is different limits and needs for younger people and more mature people. I believe that a prison should be able to deal with people no matter what age they are. Some gets sentences for lifetime! I see the silent room for example as a good improvement in that direction.

The outside time was in the evening in the recreation time. Those who did not join the outside exercise were locked up. This gave reason to some frustration and anger for those, who lost their recreation time in that way. I would also like to mention that I found it strange that outside exercise had to be after darkness in the cold autumn evening and not in daylight, but for others and me I don’t think this was a main problem. The problem was that those women, who were locked up during their recreation time, directed their anger towards those who went out side. It cannot take much imagination to see how difficult the situation will be in the end for those (a minority of the women) who want to claim their right to outside exercise. Work and activities

I had work in the tea packing plant most of the days on remand, but the three weeks as convicted I had to spend nearly all days in the room. After nearly 2 weeks I was taken to an assessment, which brought me some days waiting in the sewing plants, where I could make some activities, but because of the limited time I had left I was told I was not going to work.

On remand I tried to join some of the courses, which is fine for the younger people I am sure. Much good work is done here. I did not want to take place up for some who had more need for education than I, so I did only ask for Gymnasium, where I as mentioned above hardly managed to join during the whole period. Church, Multicultural Group and other arrangements

I joined a few good arrangements in the Church, but again there were problems in the Younger House with the timing and call for Church on Sundays (only the last 2 Sundays before I was out). See joint Complaint of 21^st October 2001.

I asked to join the meeting every Wednesday in the Chapel, but I was not brought there several weeks. I think I managed to get to three of the Wednesday meetings when remanded and none all the time I was convicted.

The Multicultural Group had sent me an invitation to a lunch with guests from the outside community invited too. The meeting took place in the Centre House and I asked to join in good time before. I had to continue to ask to be brought to this arrangement 5 times and was eventually brought 20 minutes late. I felt this arrangement, done by the inmates, was a positive and good experience. In 1999 I joined the meetings of the Multicultural Group and found these meetings were very much valued among all of us from foreign countries. This time these meetings obvious were not held. I would like to ask you, if it was a permanent stop for these meetings and why if that is the case?

One event that was much appreciated by most of the convicted inmates was the Sunday Bingo. I was not present myself but will mention this as one of the few positive events there are to look forward to at Cornton Vale. I also, when I was in the Ross House, had the chance one Sunday afternoon to get a little outside on a field and played a ball game. A good exercise everybody seemed to enjoy. I personally would wish this kind of arrangement were on a more regular basis. It could even be a choice in the summertime as outside exercise instead of staying in the same little yard every time there are offered outside time. Reception

I would start to say that the reception when coming in and out are working very well and the atmosphere is in general good and gave me no problems, but there are a few things I would like to mention anyway. Two times found myself humiliated by an officer who wanted me to take off all clothes without having the housecoat to protect me as the normal procedure of a strip research should be. I know it is against the rules. I chose in each situation to tell the person that she should be ashamed of herself face to face and did not make a complaint, because I felt I had dealt with the situation at the site, but if the situation had happened again however I would not have hesitated with a complaint.

I have mentioned the health problem with the floor cleaning in the reception using chlorine without any ventilation. I also feel concerned for the prisoners and staff who work in the reception and have to use that kind of cleaning material every day, without any kind of protection. It is public knowledge that chlorine is a very unhealthy chemical to use for cleaning without protection and ventilation. In my best view also not necessary in a place like the reception and are also damaging the environment unnecessarily when it goes in the drain.

One day before going to court the reception had sealed a plastic bag with some legal papers, with the result that I could not get them in court. The police was not allowed to breach the seal. I think this should be obvious. I had to tell the officers every time I went to court that I wanted to bring the legal papers in a separate unsealed bag.

I was in court several times and my clothes for court was kept in the reception. I could have wished an opportunity to wash these clothes. Wearing the same shirt 8-9 times after they have hanged in a plastic bag for two and a half month is not decent in a court where among others my interpreter have to sit close to me on the bench all day. Are there any way to ask for a wash of these clothes or do I need to ask people to hand in clean clothes for court to exchange for the dirty ones? Suicide/self harming - back-cells

I went one day to the back cells or also called the suicide cells. Not because I am suicidal but because I was waiting for the Governor for a disciplinary talk. I had to sit in one of these suicide cells the whole morning and most of the afternoon to be able to have that talk. I had a good chance to se what happens to the women who are kept there and I am sad to say that what I experienced I hardly could believe really was going on in the 21^st century.

The cell was cold. Only a mattress and some blue quilted shorts and a quilted blouse (not for me at least - I kept my own clothes on). I sat there together with two young women waiting all the day only interrupted at lunchtime. I wondered, why it was necessary to keep me there the whole day in order to bring me to a conversation with the Governor. Why could I not have waited in my own room? Was it a way of extra punishment before I had even talked with the Governor? At least I was not treated in any harming manner unless the suffering sitting in that cell freezing all the time.

During the remand period in the Ross House I could hear some women hammering their bodies against the door in these cells for several hours every day and night. They had absolutely nothing to keep them occupied. Especially people who are suicidal should be offered more activities and help than others. On the contrary they are left alone in these awful cells. Unbelievable!

Some of these women are in regular commutation between a hospital and the prison. They are too violent for the hospital and too sick for the prison officers to deal with. Unfortunately this is the reality in the Scottish Prison Service. These women are ill and should be offered care and treatment at a hospital unit and never have ended in a prison in the first place. I have to report this in hope the conditions will be changed immediately. This is outrageous. In a civilised society there should be room and money enough to take care of all and especially the most vulnerable people such as people with mental sickness.

I have seen many examples in here of women in desperation because they cannot get the social worker, are missing their children and are worried for their welfare outside, they can’t get their visits through or for different reasons have a crisis.

Girls are daily sent to punishment and are sent to the suicide cells only for reasons as starting to cry in front of an officer or being too noisy. Some are punished for being violent or for self-harming in an attempt to get attention or in an attempt to cry for help. Some gets psychological help after several times of punishment ranging from being locked up during the daytime or being locked up in their recreation time for several days to being kept in the suicide cells. Others never get out of these cells again. I begin to understand why some chose to hang themselves.

Too many of the girls are kept in prison, but should be sent to a youth institution and have an offer to get out of their drug addiction. I would also like to suggest that the SPS starts up programs for all the young drug addicts, when they are out again, giving them a fair chance to prevent them from returning again. In the long term at lot of staff could be released for better Service in SPS.

I would also like to suggest that SPS sends all staff on regular courses in handling of crises and listening technique as a minimum of education? I think that only a few of the staff seem to manage these kind of skills, but it could avoid many of the smaller crises the inmates have to deal with. I would think it also could help to solve a lot of the daily crises that occur between staff and inmates mostly solved by the staff by punishment or lock ups of the inmates, and I am sure it would also be a help for some of the officers, who have to shout instead of talking to people every time they approach someone in order to keep themselves in control.

Many of the women in Cornton Vale could easily fit into an open prison system. If there were an open prison for women I am sure a lot of resources could be saved in SPS. Prison rules and equality between male and female prisons

I noticed that the prison rules are not available and thus not possible to read and study for the prisoners. Firstly I would ask, how are you supposed to know when the rules are being breached? Secondly I would suggest these rules is available at the library so inmates can study whatever part of the rules they need to deal with at any time of their stay.

I would like to ask you, why are there a different practice and rules in Cornton Vale than those exercised in other male prisons? Why are there no open prisons for females? In these days of equality between men and women these issues should have been looked on and changed. Let this be my last wish in this report.

Thank you for your attention.

Ulla Røder

This report is sent to:

The Governor of Cornton Vale Prison, Cornton Road, Stirling FK9 5 NY

Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, The Scottish Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, SPS Headquarters, Calton House, 5 Redheugs Rigg, Edinburgh EH 12 9 HW

Joan Aitkin, The Scottish Prisons Complaints Commissioner, Soughton House Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH 11 3XD

Chief Inspector Clive Fairweater, HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland, Soughton House Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH 11 3XD

Depute Justice Minister for Scottish Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH 99 1 SP

Dr. Sylvia Jackson MSP, 22 Viewfield Street, Stirling

Iain Gray MSP, Deputy Minister for Justice, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh EH 11 3XD

Margo McDonald MSP, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH 99 1 SP

Scottish Human Right Centre, 146 Holland Street, Glasgow G2 4NG

Prison Reform Trust, 15 Northburgh St., London EC1V OAH

Howard League for Penal Reform in Scotland, 51 Mount Vernon Road, Edinburgh EH16 6 JG

National Prisoners Movement BM-PROP, London WC1N 3XX

Women in Prison, Aberdeen Studios, 22 Highbury Grove, London N5 2 EA

Sister Monika, The Chapel, HMS Cornton Vale Prison, Cornton Road, Stirling FK9 5NY

Rev. Elaine McCray, The Chapel, HMS Cornton Vale Prison, Cornton Road, Stirling FK9 5NY

Elisabeth Taylor, Convenor Over 21’s Visiting Committee c/o Stirling Council, Viewforth, Stirling, FK8 2ET

And other people who might be interested.

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