Published Date:
03 May 2009
By Tom Peterkin, Scottish Political Editor
SCOTLAND'S only all- female prison has seen a dramatic rise in the number of assaults on prison officers, with an average of more than one assault a week being carried out on members of staff this year.
Official figures have revealed that there have so far been 20 assaults on staff at Cornton Vale in 2009, compared with the 36 recorded in 2008 and 27 in 2007.
An increase in "ladette" behaviour has been blamed for some of the rise at the Stirling prison, which houses around 400 prisoners and has been branded "Scotland's most dangerous prison" by the Liberal Democrats.
The rise in attacks was revealed in the answer to a parliamentary question by Robert Brown, the Lib Dem justice spokesman. The Justice Secretary, Kenny MacAskill, revealed that over the last nine years there have been 1,290 assaults on prison staff by prisoners held in Scotland's jails.
This year so far the 20 assaults recorded at Cornton Vale is the highest in Scotland.
The full article contains 172 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
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Last Updated:
02 May 2009 6:53 PM
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Source:
Scotland On Sunday
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Location:
Scotland
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Related Topics:
Scottish prisons
