Cornton Vale (HM Prison)
Encyclopedia
Cornton Vale is a women's prison in Stirling
, operated by the Scottish Prison Service
. Built in 1975, Cornton Vale comprises a total of 217 cells in its 5 houses. It took only convicted women and girls from 1975 until 1978. In 1978 Parliament passed the necessary legislation to allow females to be held there on remand. Lady Martha Bruce was the first governor. Cornton Vale now houses almost all female adults and young offenders in Scotland. In April 1999, the separation of adults and young offenders was attained. And in the last 2 years, a systematic renovation and upgrading of all 5 houses has been carried out.
It is now Scotland's only all-female establishment and so nearly all female prisoners and young offenders in Scotland are housed here. The complex provides 230 places for women prisoners in five blocks. Four of these blocks (or houses) have 178 places and are sub-divided into six or seven-room units each with its own dining/sitting room, and almost all have a common kitchen or servery. One of these blocks is containing 27 places is currently being renovated to provide a dedicated Young Offender facility. Prisoners have access at night to sanitary facilities.
In 2006, 98% of the inmates had addiction
issues; 80% had problems with mental health
and 75% were survivors of abuse
. It also holds children, in particular the babies of inmates who are imprisoned alongside their mothers and teenagers where there is no suitable accommodation available in young offenders institutions.
In 2006 it was announced that the practice of "double cuffing" all inmates who are in labour
to a custody officer until second stage labour and immediately re-handcuffed after giving birth, had ended.
John Field, "Learning Through Labour: Training, unemployment and the state, 1890-1920", 1992, University of Leeds, ISBN 0-900-960-48-5
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
, operated by the Scottish Prison Service
Scottish Prison Service
The Scottish Prison Service is an executive agency of the Scottish Government tasked with managing prisons in Scotland...
. Built in 1975, Cornton Vale comprises a total of 217 cells in its 5 houses. It took only convicted women and girls from 1975 until 1978. In 1978 Parliament passed the necessary legislation to allow females to be held there on remand. Lady Martha Bruce was the first governor. Cornton Vale now houses almost all female adults and young offenders in Scotland. In April 1999, the separation of adults and young offenders was attained. And in the last 2 years, a systematic renovation and upgrading of all 5 houses has been carried out.
Description
Before 1939, the site belonged to a Church of Scotland labour colony. Opened in 1907, the colony provided a home and training in market gardening for habitual inebriates and others - all male - sent by the Church or by their families. After the First World War, it took in unemployed men, mainly veterans at first. From 1926 to 1931, it received public funds under the Empire Settlement Act, and most of the trainees were helped to emigrate to the Dominions. It continued to train unemployed young men until the Second World War, but was sold off subsequently and re-opened as a male Borstal in 1946. Labour colonies of this kind were quite common in Britain before 1939.It is now Scotland's only all-female establishment and so nearly all female prisoners and young offenders in Scotland are housed here. The complex provides 230 places for women prisoners in five blocks. Four of these blocks (or houses) have 178 places and are sub-divided into six or seven-room units each with its own dining/sitting room, and almost all have a common kitchen or servery. One of these blocks is containing 27 places is currently being renovated to provide a dedicated Young Offender facility. Prisoners have access at night to sanitary facilities.
Criticism
It has been criticised for overcrowding, with 353 inmates being held there in November 2005 and the high number of suicides which have taken place there. Eleven women killed themselves while serving sentences at Corton Vale between 1997 and 2002. In 2010, Brigadier Hugh Munro declared the prison in a "state of crisis", citing overcrowding, two-hour waits for the toilet, cold meals, lack of activities and a deep problem of prisoner boredom which was impeding rehabilitation.In 2006, 98% of the inmates had addiction
Substance dependence
The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
issues; 80% had problems with mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
and 75% were survivors of abuse
Abuse
Abuse is the improper usage or treatment for a bad purpose, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, sexual assault, violation, rape, unjust practices; wrongful practice or custom; offense; crime, or otherwise...
. It also holds children, in particular the babies of inmates who are imprisoned alongside their mothers and teenagers where there is no suitable accommodation available in young offenders institutions.
In 2006 it was announced that the practice of "double cuffing" all inmates who are in labour
Childbirth
Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...
to a custody officer until second stage labour and immediately re-handcuffed after giving birth, had ended.
External links
Further reading
Maguire, Maureen, Uncomfortably Numb. A Prison Requiem, (Luath Press, 2001) ISBN 1-84282-001-X A factual documentation of suicides in Cornton Vale Prison.John Field, "Learning Through Labour: Training, unemployment and the state, 1890-1920", 1992, University of Leeds, ISBN 0-900-960-48-5