A new publicly-run prison is to be built in the Peterhead area to replace the existing Victorian facilities there and at Aberdeen, it was announced today.
Further plans for Scotland's prisons also include:
A financial package of £120m capital a year for the Scottish Prison Service to modernise facilities and finally end the scandal of slopping out. Suspension of the current procurement process for the replacement prison at Bishopbriggs and invitation of bids from the private sector to design and build a new prison that will be operated by the public sector. Existing plans for the private sector to build and run the new Addiewell prison will remain in place due to the prohibitive costs of reversing the outcomes of previous procurement policies. An independent Commission will be set up to consider how imprisonment is currently used in Scotland. Mr MacAskill will announce further details on remit and membership over the coming weeks. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said the package of investment and reform in prisons should in the future mean 'fewer members of the public imprisoned in their homes through fear of crime'.
Powers over Wales's Prisons must be transferred to the Senedd along with all Justice functions.
The Welsh Government should be designing policy and passing law to protect the Welsh public not the British that are failing.
Annette Strauch wrote...
Welsh justice. Saw the police on my way to Barmouth yesterday, stopping people for speeding. A friend says they do this every bank holiday instead of really protecting the Welsh people...!!I believe in the beauty of the world and rightousness. I translated this once - D. Sölle was for justice:
RYDYM NI GYDA THI AR Y FFORDD, O! DDUW
Rydym ni gyda thi ar y ffordd, O! Dduw.
Nid un yn eistedd ar orsedd ydwyt Ti
ond un sy'n cyd-gerdded gyda ni,
gan droedio trwy'r tywyllwch a'r gwlybaniaeth,
ac ar y ffordd diarffordd yn y niwl, ac ar daith ddibendraw.
Rydym ni gyda thi ar y ffordd, O! Dduw,
oherwydd nid un yn trigo mewn eglwysi wyt Ti
ond un sy'n teithio gyda ni mewn pryder amdanom
am na fedrwn ddewis rhwng llwybr encil a difodiant.
Rhodia gyda ni, a gad i ni O! Dduw, gyd-deithio gyda'n gilydd.
Rydym ni gyda thi ar y ffordd, O! Dduw,
er nad ydym yn dy adnabod yn llwyr ar hyd y daith.
A phob amser, rwyt Ti'n cuddio,
mewn deilen rhosyn, yng ngwên crwydryn
yn crwydro gyda ni gan ein cyfarwyddo i gerdded
a chwilio amdanat Ti.
Rydym ni gyda thi ar y ffordd, O! Dduw
er mwyn i'r ffordd a'i nod fod yn un gyda thi.
(Cyfieithiad Annette Angharad Strauch o gerdd Dorothy Soelle - diwinydd o'r Almaen fu farw fis Ebrill eleni.)
Posted by: Annette Strauch | August 26, 2007 2:28 PM