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| Gangland contracts worth £2.8m put on Scottish prisoners | Gangland contracts worth £2.8m put on Scottish prisoners |
| (1 day later) | |
| Staff are on 'red alert' dealing with gang members, the prison service said | Staff are on 'red alert' dealing with gang members, the prison service said |
| Serious organised crime groups took out contracts worth £2.8m for attacks on rivals in Scotland's jails last year. | Serious organised crime groups took out contracts worth £2.8m for attacks on rivals in Scotland's jails last year. |
| The Scottish Prison Service, which released the figures, is dealing with the consequences of a huge increase in convictions for gang-related crimes. | The Scottish Prison Service, which released the figures, is dealing with the consequences of a huge increase in convictions for gang-related crimes. |
| It said the number of prisoners linked to serious and organised crime groups (SOCGs) had doubled in six years. | It said the number of prisoners linked to serious and organised crime groups (SOCGs) had doubled in six years. |
| An anti-corruption drive is now helping staff who are pressurised to take drugs and phones into jails. | An anti-corruption drive is now helping staff who are pressurised to take drugs and phones into jails. |
| Prison staff had their cars firebombed and six officers were charged with criminal offences last year after being influenced by criminals. | Prison staff had their cars firebombed and six officers were charged with criminal offences last year after being influenced by criminals. |
| The Prison Officers Association in Scotland said the constant threat caused by the presence of so many gang members had left its members under massive pressure. | The Prison Officers Association in Scotland said the constant threat caused by the presence of so many gang members had left its members under massive pressure. |
| Quarter of Scots prison population awaiting trial | Quarter of Scots prison population awaiting trial |
| Mobiles for prisoners after visiting suspended | Mobiles for prisoners after visiting suspended |
| Human rights concerns over prisons and police | Human rights concerns over prisons and police |
| Scottish Prison Service (SPS) intelligence reports identified 538 individuals linked to serious and organised crime, roughly 8% of Scotland's total prison population. | Scottish Prison Service (SPS) intelligence reports identified 538 individuals linked to serious and organised crime, roughly 8% of Scotland's total prison population. |
| Of those, 176 have been linked to 54 different SOCGs, many of whom operate throughout the UK and some globally. | Of those, 176 have been linked to 54 different SOCGs, many of whom operate throughout the UK and some globally. |
| The figure includes 23 "principals" who either lead SOCGs or operate at the highest level. | The figure includes 23 "principals" who either lead SOCGs or operate at the highest level. |
| Fiona Cruickshanks, the head of the SPS public protection unit, said that between 2021 and 2022, more than 50 serious prisoner-on-prisoner assaults involved inmates linked to organised crime. | Fiona Cruickshanks, the head of the SPS public protection unit, said that between 2021 and 2022, more than 50 serious prisoner-on-prisoner assaults involved inmates linked to organised crime. |
| She said: "One of the main areas that we see is monetary contracts that are put out on people. | She said: "One of the main areas that we see is monetary contracts that are put out on people. |
| "That's either individuals linked to organised crime initiating these contracts or having a contract taken out on them. | "That's either individuals linked to organised crime initiating these contracts or having a contract taken out on them. |
| "In the last 12 months contracts that were taken out on people amounted to £2.77m, so that shows the scale of the issue and the type of individuals that we're dealing with." | "In the last 12 months contracts that were taken out on people amounted to £2.77m, so that shows the scale of the issue and the type of individuals that we're dealing with." |
| Smuggled smart phones are the first choice for gangs trying to organise criminal operations from jail | Smuggled smart phones are the first choice for gangs trying to organise criminal operations from jail |
| Ms Cruickshank said the contracts were for people to be injured or killed, but none resulted in a fatality behind bars. | Ms Cruickshank said the contracts were for people to be injured or killed, but none resulted in a fatality behind bars. |
| "We have violence over drug debts, power struggles over drug territories, violence in relation to longstanding family feuds in the community that spill over into custody as well. | "We have violence over drug debts, power struggles over drug territories, violence in relation to longstanding family feuds in the community that spill over into custody as well. |
| "Police Scotland have been very successful in capturing these individuals and prosecutors have been successful in securing convictions, and we absolutely welcome that. | "Police Scotland have been very successful in capturing these individuals and prosecutors have been successful in securing convictions, and we absolutely welcome that. |
| "However it does bring challenges for us." | "However it does bring challenges for us." |
| The violence places prison officers at risk and the service has reported an increase in threats to staff and their families. | The violence places prison officers at risk and the service has reported an increase in threats to staff and their families. |
| Phil Fairlie, chairman of the Prison Officers Association (Scotland), said there had been three examples of cars being set on fire in car parks to intimidate staff. | Phil Fairlie, chairman of the Prison Officers Association (Scotland), said there had been three examples of cars being set on fire in car parks to intimidate staff. |
| "These people aren't kidding," he said. "It's real threats that they're issuing. They're not bluffing. | "These people aren't kidding," he said. "It's real threats that they're issuing. They're not bluffing. |
| "It means our staff are on red alert from the minute they come on shift because there's so much going on beneath the surface. The staff are watching their backs constantly. | "It means our staff are on red alert from the minute they come on shift because there's so much going on beneath the surface. The staff are watching their backs constantly. |
| "It's a high pressure, very difficult environment and they're physically and mentally exhausted at end of their shift in some of the jails." | "It's a high pressure, very difficult environment and they're physically and mentally exhausted at end of their shift in some of the jails." |
| Smuggled phones | Smuggled phones |
| Ms Cruickshank said SOCG members were constantly trying to use new technology to operate their criminal businesses inside and outside prisons. | Ms Cruickshank said SOCG members were constantly trying to use new technology to operate their criminal businesses inside and outside prisons. |
| At the start of the pandemic in 2020, prisoners in Scotland were issued with mobile phones so they could keep in touch with their families. | At the start of the pandemic in 2020, prisoners in Scotland were issued with mobile phones so they could keep in touch with their families. |
| Calls could only be made to approved numbers, but some prisoners hacked the technology and 5,000 "misuses" of the phones have been reported. | Calls could only be made to approved numbers, but some prisoners hacked the technology and 5,000 "misuses" of the phones have been reported. |
| Ms Cruickshank said smuggled smart phones remained the first choice of SOCGs but some inmates would always look for ways to beat the security on prison-issued devices. | Ms Cruickshank said smuggled smart phones remained the first choice of SOCGs but some inmates would always look for ways to beat the security on prison-issued devices. |
| She said the service worked closely with Police Scotland to deal with all the challenges presented by the growth in SOCG prisoners. | She said the service worked closely with Police Scotland to deal with all the challenges presented by the growth in SOCG prisoners. |
| "We do have quite robust intelligence gathering processes and we try to take proactive action," she said. | "We do have quite robust intelligence gathering processes and we try to take proactive action," she said. |
| Scotland's justice secretary Keith Brown said phones had helped prisoners cope with the pressure of being locked down behind bars and had had huge benefits. | Scotland's justice secretary Keith Brown said phones had helped prisoners cope with the pressure of being locked down behind bars and had had huge benefits. |
| He said the prison service and its staff deserved the public's full support. | He said the prison service and its staff deserved the public's full support. |
| Mr Brown said: "They have to keep people apart to keep them safe and they have to stop further criminal activity within the prisons. | Mr Brown said: "They have to keep people apart to keep them safe and they have to stop further criminal activity within the prisons. |
| "They are doing a remarkable job." | "They are doing a remarkable job." |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Police Scotland | Police Scotland |
| Prisons | Prisons |