HMP Peterhead

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HMP Peterhead is a prison near the town of Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Peterhead prison was built in August 1888, and was designed to hold 208 prisoners.[1] Occupancy averaged at around 350 however, until peaking at 455 in 1911.[2] Additional buildings were completed in 1909, 1960 and 1962, bringing capacity up to 362.[3]

Peterhead has a history of poor conditions for prisoners, being referred to as "Scotland's gulag, a prison of no hope".[4] A recent prison inspection reported that electricity had only just been made available in all the cells and slopping out still continues at the prison.[5]

HMP Peterhead also now houses a specialist centre for sex offenders.[6]

Talks on replacing the current prison with a new one began in 2006.[7] They were revived in November 2006.[8] [9]

Contents

[edit] 1980s disturbances

A series of disturbances and rooftop protests at the then-century-old HMP Peterhead in November 1988, led to a series of meetings called by drug user charity Gateway Exchange.[10]

[edit] Notable inmates

[edit] References

  1. ^ Scraton, P., Sim, J. & Skidmore, P. (1991) Prisons Under Protest, Buckingham: Open University Press
  2. ^ Scraton, P., Sim, J. & Skidmore, P. (1991) Prisons Under Protest, Buckingham: Open University Press
  3. ^ Scraton, P., Sim, J. & Skidmore, P. (1991) Prisons Under Protest, Buckingham: Open University Press
  4. ^ Scraton, P., Sim, J. & Skidmore, P. (1991) Prisons Under Protest, Buckingham: Open University Press pg.14
  5. ^ HM INSPECTORATE OF PRISONS HMP PETERHEAD INSPECTION: 30-31 MARCH 2005 - Retrieved 31/08/07
  6. ^ Peterhead Prison: Granite fortress - Retrieved 31/08/07
  7. ^ "New Peterhead prison is favoured" - BBC News
  8. ^ "New jail could be built on existing site, says Salmond" - This is North Scotland.co.uk
  9. ^ "Superjail Cannot Come Soon Enough" - ThisisNorth Scotland.co.uk, Feb 2008
  10. ^ Scraton, P., Sim, J. & Skidmore, P. (1991) Prisons Under Protest, Buckingham: Open University Press, pg.1
  11. ^ G21.net

[edit] External links