Scottish Prison Service

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) (Seirbheis Phrìosain na h-Alba) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government tasked with managing prisons and Young Offender Institutions.

The Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, currently Teresa Medhurst, is responsible for its administration and reports to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, who is responsible for the Scottish Prison Service within the Scottish Government.

There are fifteen prison establishments in the country, one of which is privately managed. The SPS employs over 4,000 staff, with its headquarters in One Lochside, located in South Gyle, Edinburgh.

Key personnel
The current Chief Executive is Teresa Medhurst and supporting her is the SPS Board consisting of:


 * Allister Purdie - Director of Operations (acting)
 * Caroline Johnston - Director of Corporate Services (acting)
 * Sue Brookes - Interim Director of Strategy & Engagement (acting)

List of establishments

 * HMP Addiewell (privately run by Sodexo)
 * HMP Barlinnie
 * HMP Castle Huntly (open prison)
 * HMP & YOI Cornton Vale (Young Offenders Institution and women's prison)
 * HMP Dumfries
 * HMP Edinburgh
 * HMP Glenochil
 * HMP & YOI Grampian (Young Offenders Institution)
 * HMP Greenock
 * HMP Inverness
 * HMP Kilmarnock
 * HMP Low Moss
 * HMP Perth
 * HMYOI Polmont (Young Offenders Institution)
 * HMP Shotts

HMP Addiewell is privately managed under contract to the SPS.

Prisoner escorting
Prior to April 2004, the SPS was directly responsible for escorting convicted prisoners in Scotland, including those appealing their conviction or sentence. The duties of escorting prisoners on remand and managing court custody facilities were the responsibility of the relevant local police force.

In November 2003, the SPS signed a contract on behalf of the Scottish Ministers for a "Prisoner Escort and Court Custody Service". This contract with Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd provided for all prisoner escorting between police cells, court, prisons and hospitals as well as covering escorts from prison such as funerals, hospital appointments and community placements and also operating the court custody units.

In 2012, the court custody and prisoner escort service contract was taken over by G4S. Geoamey currently run the service, having taken over from G4S in January 2019. The current contract is due to expire in January 2027, subject to an optional extension for a period of up to 4 years.

Secure hospital
Some prisoners are detained in a secure psychiatric hospital. This is run by the Scottish National Health Service rather than the SPS.
 * State Hospital, Carstairs, South Lanarkshire

Prison aftercare
An aftercare scheme, Throughcare, has significantly cut reoffending. The scheme involves getting released prisoners a roof over their heads, sorting out their benefits and medical needs, and showing them that someone cares about them. 78% of former prisoners who received Throughcare did not return to prison over two years. Eleven Scottish prison service sites use Throughcare. "The TSOs [Throughcare Support Officers] use a case management approach, working collaboratively with the prisoner, their family, statutory and third sector service partners, to discuss appropriate support provision and to develop a personalised plan to support the person during their transition from custody back in to the community."

Media coverage
The SPS has been featured in many TV shows including Prison: First & Last 24 Hours on Sky One which was broadcast between 28 October 2015 and 5 December 2016.