As we commemorate a decade of independent prison monitoring, HMIPS continues to value the vital contributions of all Independent Prison Monitors (IPMs), whose presence promotes fairness and transparency in Scottish prisons. Their weekly oversight ensures accountability and highlights prison conditions and issues in real time to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland.
The IPM Annual Reports for 2024 to 2025 summarise the findings of over 120 IPMs across the 17 prisons in Scotland, in line with HMIPS Inspection and Monitoring Standards. Over the year, this dedicated group of volunteers conducted nearly 1200 visits over 4000 monitoring hours in Scotland’s prisons. They responded to 1600 prisoner requests, the highest number ever, on issues people wanted them to look into. Overcrowding was a major concern, affecting the day-to-day operations in many prisons. Despite the challenges observed and reported, the reports also note the positive steps taken and the good things they observed, including staff care and support for prisoners and efforts taken to make improvements to the regime.
Please see below Annual Report for each prison and accompanying news release: