The main objective of the visit was to examine the treatment and conditions of detention of persons deprived of their liberty in men and women’s prisons in Scotland, and in secure care accommodation for minors. It was also an opportunity to assess the progress made since the CPT’s visits to Scotland in 2018 and 2019. The delegation also visited several police stations to examine the treatment, conditions of detention and safeguards afforded to persons held in police custody.

Prisons

The Committee notes the steady growth of the prison population in Scotland, despite various measures pursued by the Scottish Government to address this phenomenon. At the time of the 2025 visit, overcrowding remained a worrying feature of the prison system. The Committee urges the authorities to address its root causes, stressing that a coherent strategy is required, covering both admission to and release from prison.

Men’s prisons

Positively, at the prison establishments visited, the vast majority of prisoners stated that they were treated correctly by prison officers, and the delegation did not receive any credible allegations of deliberate ill-treatment of prisoners by staff. However, it did receive two allegations of excessive use of force during control and restraint operations. Further, in the three establishments visited, prisoners complained of verbal abuse by some custodial officers.

The conditions of detention and the regime in the prisons visited were, in several cases, adversely impacted by overcrowding and staff shortages. Many prisoners were locked up in their cell for extended periods during the day. The number of purposeful activities on offer to prisoners should be developed and the daily out-of-cell programme for all prisoners improved.

Another issue of concern remains the Separation and Reintegration Units (SRUs). Prisoners were segregated for shorter periods overall than those found during the 2018 visit, but they continued to be held in conditions akin to solitary confinement, with little interaction with staff or access to activities. Further, managing “carousel” or “yo-yo” situations whereby certain prisoners spent months or even years in such conditions remained a real challenge. More needs to be done to address the specific needs of these persons. The CPT also found that step-down facilities were not available in the prisons visited.

Women in prison

Scotland has undertaken significant reforms to its women’s prison system, moving towards a more trauma-informed and gender-specific approach. Key to these reforms was the closure of Cornton Vale Prison and the opening of Stirling Prison in 2023, which was purpose-built to meet the needs of women prisoners. In addition, two new Community Custody Units (CCUs) offer smaller, therapeutic, and community-style environments which support reintegration and represent a major shift away from traditional prison structures.

Despite these advances, three distinct custodial models continue to operate in practice for women prisoners: the newly designed Stirling women’s facility, the new CCUs, and the older, traditional, mixed-gender prisons such as Grampian, Greenock, and Polmont, which continue to house most of Scotland’s women prisoners. The co-existence of both progressive and traditional regimes has resulted in inconsistent experiences, with newer establishments generally receiving more positive feedback from inmates, while issues such as higher levels of inter-prisoner violence and less positive staff culture persist in older institutions such as Polmont.

The introduction of a new policy emphasising non-painful, trauma-informed restraint is welcomed. However, challenges remain, particularly regarding women with complex needs and as regards the regime for women placed in separation units. The Committee found that some women experience prolonged isolation with minimal activities, highlighting the need for additional psycho-social support, more therapeutic units, and proper reintegration structures. Further, staff reported a lack of training and support, especially for handling high-risk or vulnerable women. The CPT also found that Stirling’s Mother-and-Baby Unit remains inaccessible due to administrative hurdles.

For children in detention, the shift from Young Offender Institutions to Secure Care Centres is a positive development. However, significant disparities persist between Children’s Centres with regards to resources, standards, and quality of care. While instances of staff ill-treatment are rare, and staff-child interactions positive, recent misconduct cases in some centres visited underline the importance of robust supervision and training. Additionally, the use of force – including dangerous practices such as face-down holds – and variations in living conditions reveal areas in need of urgent review and improvement. This was notably evident in the under-resourced children’s centre of St Mary’s. Prompt, comprehensive reforms are required to ensure equal standards, appropriate safeguards, and tailored care for all children deprived of their liberty in Scotland.

Police

Positively, all persons met by the delegation stated that they had been treated correctly by staff during their time in the custody facilities visited. The delegation did however receive a few complaints of excessively tight handcuffing upon apprehension. It also met with one detained person who complained of excessive use of force upon apprehension.

Safeguards against ill-treatment generally operated reasonably well. However, detained persons were not always informed that notification of their custody to a third party had taken place, and feedback to the detained person on whether a lawyer had been contacted was not registered.

In their response, the United Kingdom and Scottish Government authorities provide information on the measures taken to implement the recommendations made in the CPT’s report. The authorities underline that, whilst progress is being made in the realisation of the human rights covered by the CPT, there is still work to be done. The Scottish Government recognises the challenge and is committed to tackling this head-on, with transparency and accountability.

• Read the report in English.
• Read the executive summary and observations in English, in French 
• Read the response in English.
• Read the visit newsflashes 
• The CPT and the United Kingdom