In the introduction of a 2011 annual report for Her Majesty’s Prison, former Superintendent Richard Holder, who died Saturday at Peebles Hospital, wrote that the prison showed “proof of operational strength,” making advancements in the delivery of education, counselling and health services to inmates.
“We saw stronger relationships between management and staff and a greater commitment to work collaboratively to improve the standard of service provision,” the report stated.
But Mr. Holder also outlined serious problems at the facility, such as “extreme” staff shortages, overcrowding and a lack of general maintenance.
“The prison cannot continue to operate in such deplorable conditions, or the facility will be uninhabitable,” the report stated, adding that such conditions could violate the “human rights” of prisoners if something doesn’t change.
The rising population of prisoners has been a growing challenge since the Balsam Ghut facility opened in 1996. The prison housed between 115 and 120 inmates in 2011, in a building that was originally designed to hold about 60, according to the report.
“The ability of prison staff to cope with large numbers of prisoners reflects directly on their professionalism,” the report stated.
See the Nov. 29, 2012 edition for full coverage.
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