Posted Wednesday 30 January 2008
Eleven of us met at the visitor centre where we left our handbags in lockers, had photos and electronic fingerprints taken and were given badges, writes Hilary Moran.
We went through airport-style security scanners, then waited again to get through the doors into the first area we were going to see.
Once we got used to waiting to go through locked doors with the staff and walking a distance to get to some areas (there weren’t any shortcuts) and not seeing the outside much as the outdoor walkways are covered, it really wasn’t intimidating or claustrophobic.
All the prisoners were either working or in the educational centre during the day, so their cell wings were empty for us to see. Remand prisoners wore blue polo shirts; convicts wore grey shirts.
On each wing of about 100 they had their recreation area, a pool table and table for eating their dinners on. They seemed to do their own washing as there was a launderette. Cells were small, with a loo and a TV. There were bunk beds in some larger ones. The prison was at its capacity with 650 prisoners. There are a lot of young men in prison.
We visited the education centre where many prisoners take SVQs, Open University courses, computer courses and art classes. Prisoner mentoring is encouraged.
Prisoners have a choice of work and/or educational work. We passed three large workshops for metalwork, woodwork and recycling. There were outdoor recreation areas, a soccer pitch and a gym.
The visitors’ hall has a small play area for young children and a snack bar where families can buy snacks to share when visiting. Both of these are run by volunteers. Remand prisoners are allowed 45 minutes’ visiting every day and visits do not need to be booked.
Convicted prisoners get 1-3 visiting hours a week, depending on their record. Chairs and tables are fixed to the floor, but the hall is an open, airy room with a good atmosphere. The prison manages visits 7 days a week from 10am until 5pm, week days and until 10pm at the weekend.
We were shown around by very friendly informative staff members as well as Joyce Bush, a MU member from England who is hoping for our help to improve the life of the prisoners’ families. By encouraging prisoners to take responsibility for their families it is hoped that the reoffending rate might be improved.
We talked with the new prison director, Wendy Sinclair, and with depute director Father Jim Green, who would love the side chapel off the main chapel room to become an Anglican chapel with our help. He joked about wanting altar frontals, altar linen and banners to decorate the main chapel space.
We need to discuss in our branches what help we can give. Over 1,000 Mothers’ Union members work in 93 prisons and I would like us in Glasgow and Galloway to find something we can help with.
Suggestions include information packs for new visitors; toys; volunteers for the play area; gift packs for prisoners with new babies; Christmas and Easter cards to be sent to prisoners and cards for them to send to their loved ones; knitted teddies for young ones on leaving after a visit.
Look at the Mothers’ Union website for all the different things we could do in prison and contact me if you can help in any way: (01475 686213).
Category: Mother's Union
