scotland’s Prisons Grapple With Soaring Inmate Death Rate, Report Reveals
GLASGOW, Scotland – A new report has revealed a dramatic surge in deaths within Scotland’s prisons, with figures climbing by 60% in the past year alone. The study,conducted by the Scottish Center for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR),found that 64 people died in Scottish jails in 2024,a sharp increase from 40 deaths recorded in 2023.
Researchers at Glasgow University, who compiled the report, indicated that the mortality rate in Scottish prisons has more than doubled over the past decade, positioning it among the highest in Europe. The overall level of deaths in custody last year was the highest since modern records began in 1995, and “almost certainly the highest ever,” according to Professor Sarah Armstrong, who led the research team. “That rise is absolutely stunning. It’s unprecedented,” she said.
The report highlighted a concerning trend in suicide rates within prisons, which have been rising since 2016 and may have reached a record high in the past year. While the Scottish prison Service (SPS) acknowledges that determining the specific cause of each death falls under the purview of a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI), the agency reported 14 suicides in 2024, “the same level as in 2019 and 2022.” Eight deaths were undetermined or remain under inquiry.
Professor Armstrong expressed encouragement regarding the SPS’s response to a previous report focusing on the suicides of Katie Allan, 21, and William Brown, 16, who died in Polmont Young Offenders Institution in 2018.Though, she emphasized the presence of “organisational culture” issues within Scottish prisons and stressed the need to move away from accepting the high death rate as normal.
Linda Allan, Katie Allan’s mother, co-authored the new report. She issued a statement advocating for “independent, timely investigations for every death that occurs while someone is in the care of the state.”
The SCCJR report pointed to several contributing factors to the escalating death rate, including poor air quality, limited access to healthcare, prolonged periods of cell confinement, and increased isolation, all of which can “lead to a loss of hope.” Professor Armstrong noted a recurring pattern in prison deaths, characterized by inadequate cell checks by officers, health concerns dismissed as “drug seeking behaviour,” and a failure to act on signs of declining mental health.
“When we looked at international comparators our death rates are more like Azerbaijan and Moldova,where torture and corruption have been documented,” Armstrong said.She also stated it was “anomalous that we have one single state organisation that is immune from prosecution,” noting that private prisons already face the possibility of criminal prosecution over deaths in custody.
teresa Medhurst, head of the SPS, previously stated that the prison service should be open to the possibility of criminal prosecution.
The SPS said it is “determined to deliver systemic change, at pace, to how we support people in our care, in a way which will be enduring, clear, and impactful.” The agency publishes “details of all deaths in custody.”
Researchers also found that pandemic restrictions “have a sustained legacy in scottish prisons,” with many inmates still locked in cells from late afternoon until the following morning.”Such restrictions have been associated with intensifying isolation and deteriorating mental health,” the researchers concluded.
“In that category of so-called natural causes deaths are 30 and 40-year-olds who are dying from things like heart attacks or from diabetes or epilepsy,” said Professor Armstrong. She added, “Technology and new buildings are not going to fix this – it’s the human element, it’s the organisational culture, it’s the relationships between people in prisons.”
The report noted that in 2024, one death was that of a trans woman, and the remaining 63 deaths were men. In 2022, the most recent year for which comparable data are available, there was a rate of 592.8 prison deaths per 100,000 in Scotland, compared to 368 per 100,000 in England and Wales. Researchers emphasized that a rise in the prison population could not explain the sharp increase. Between 2014 and 2024, deaths rose from 24 to 64 – a jump of 167% – while the number of prisoners had risen by around 4.5%. “Nor can the increase be attributed entirely to the ageing of the prison population,” the report added.
Professor Armstrong pointed out that while the prison population is also aging in England and in the U.S., neither country has experienced a similar surge in deaths.
The report also examined deaths in other forms of “state custody,” such as mental health facilities and detention centers for migrants, concluding that the “quality of details” about such deaths “continues to suffer from gaps, inconsistencies and errors,” and calling for improvements.
The Scottish government stated that every death in custody is tragic and pledged to “carefully consider the findings of this sobering annual report.” A spokesperson said, “The health and wellbeing of all those in custody is a priority for this government and we continue to work with partners to ensure their safety.” They added, “All of Sheriff Collins’s recommendations in his determination of the fatal Accident Inquiry into the deaths at Polmont YOI of Katie and William have been accepted and the work on these is being delivered at pace with progress closely monitored.”
One counterargument to the report’s findings might be that increased awareness and reporting of deaths in custody are contributing to the higher figures. However,researchers have controlled for this possibility,indicating that the substantial increase in deaths far exceeds any potential increase in reporting accuracy. The report also highlights the concerning nature of “natural cause” deaths in younger inmates, suggesting systemic issues beyond simply an aging prison population.
FAQ: Scotland Prison Death Rate Surge
Q: What is causing the increase in prison deaths in Scotland?
A: The report suggests multiple factors, including poor air quality, limited healthcare access, prolonged cell confinement, increased isolation, inadequate cell checks, dismissal of health concerns, and failure to address declining mental health.
Q: How does Scotland’s prison death rate compare to other countries?
A: Scotland’s prison death rate is significantly higher than in England and Wales, and comparable to countries like Azerbaijan and Moldova, where torture and corruption have been documented.
Q: What is the Scottish Prison Service doing to address the issue?
A: The SPS stated it is indeed “determined to deliver systemic change, at pace, to how we support people in our care, in a way which will be enduring, transparent, and impactful.”
Q: What role do pandemic restrictions play in the increased death rate?
A: The report states that pandemic restrictions have a “sustained legacy in Scottish prisons,” with prolonged cell confinement intensifying isolation and deteriorating mental health.
Q: are deaths in private prisons also increasing,or is this a problem specific to state-run facilities?
A: According to the SCCJR,the issue is specific to state-run facilities. Head of the SPS, Teresa Medhurst, previously stated that the prison service should be open to the possibility of criminal prosecution.
