Former Lord Advocate to face questions on Cornton Vale prison closure

Dame Elish Angiolini is to answer questions from MSPs on her proposals to change the way the justice system treats female offenders.

The former Lord Advocate chaired the Commission on Women Offenders which was set up in 2011, tasked with finding a better way to treat female criminals and reduce reoffending rates.

The commission published the findings of its eight-month review in April, setting out proposals such as closing Cornton Vale prison, near Stirling, Scotland's only women’s jail.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced that the Scottish Government will take forward 33 of the commission's 37 recommendations, and consider the remaining four in more detail.

He said the Scottish Prison Service has been asked to find alternatives to replace Cornton Vale.

Ms Angiolini will appear before the Justice Committee to answer questions on the report.

Her recommendations and the Scottish Government's response have been welcomed by opposition parties and the Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, Brigadier Hugh Monro.

The commission said Cornton Vale should be replaced with a smaller specialist prison for long-term and high-risk prisoners, as well as regional units to hold short-term and remand prisoners.

In 2011, Brigadier Monro found that the jail was overcrowded and that prisoners there still did not get the best treatment, despite an inspection report highlighting the same failings at Cornton Vale in 2009.

The number of women in prison has more than doubled in the last decade, although 75% of custodial sentences imposed on females are six months or less.

The commission also recommended introducing unpaid work orders as an alternative to prosecution, and giving new powers to procurators fiscal to impose a composite diversion order, which could include both unpaid and rehabilitative elements.

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