HM Prison Shotts

HMP Shotts
Location Shotts, Scotland
Status Operational
Security class Maximum Security (All Male)
Capacity 528
Population 512 (February 2007) [1]
Opened 1978
Managed by Scottish Prison Service
Governor Ian Whitehead

HMP Shotts is a prison near Shotts, Scotland. It is a prison holding male prisoners with maximum security classification.[2] Shotts exclusively holds prisoners serving a term of 4 years or longer,[2] with some prisoners being transferred from other prisons due to a need for a more secure environment. The prison was opened in 1978 with a design capacity of 528 inmates; Upon its last inspection by HM Inspectorate of Prisons in February 2007, Shotts held a total of 512 prisoners.

National facilities

Shotts is the location for two national facilities, which provide specialist environments for a range of offenders around Scotland, including those outside the standard "catchment area" for the prison.

National Induction Centre

The National Induction Centre (NIC) is a national facility providing for prisoners at the start of sentences of at least 8 to 10 years.[1][2] The function of the centre is to provide an environment which can prepare the inmates for eventual moves to mainstream prisons. The NIC excludes prisoners serving sentences for sex offences. The centre was created to provide for prisoners in the first 3 to 6 months of their sentence,[2] but some stay for up to 2 years with the average stay being approximately 1 year.[1] In February 2007 the centre held 116 inmates.[1]

Kerr House

Kerr House is a 'top-end facility' located at HMP Shotts. It became the national top-end facility for Scotland in March 2007.[2] It provides accommodation for low-supervision prisoners nearing the end of medium to long sentences (at least 4 year), most of whom have progressed from the mainstream facility at Shotts. The facility provides room for up to 59 inmates and in February 2007 held 46.

Accommodation

HMP Shotts contains 6 accommodation units, including a Segregation Unit and the two National Facilities. 'B' and 'C' halls are the mainstream halls holding prisoners from the National Induction Centre or other nearby prisons. 'D' hall is a non-sex offender protection unit which houses inmates who have asked to be removed from mainstream circulation for their own protection. The NIC, 'B', 'C' and 'D' halls are almost identical in design, providing accommodation for approximately 120 prisoners. The Segregation Unit houses up to 12 inmates, from Shotts and other prisons around Scotland, who have been removed from general prison populations.

During the most recent inspection in February 2007, the units held the following number of prisoners:

Hall Prisoner Count
'B' Hall 114
'C' Hall 116
'D' Hall 112
Segregation Unit 8

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Full inspection report of HMP Shotts". HM Inspectorate of Prisons. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Shotts Prison". Scottish Prison Service. Retrieved 4 August 2012.

External links

Coordinates: 55°49′42″N 3°49′48″W / 55.82832°N 3.82993°W