NCJ Number
140960
Journal
National Prison Project Journal Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: (Fall 1992) Pages: 22-25
Date Published
1992
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the development and operation of the Barlinnie Special Unit (BSU) of the Scottish Prison Service.
Abstract
The attitudes of the staff and the prisoners provide the basis for the BSU. Key components include community meetings, choice and responsibility, and visiting rights. Community meetings, which give both staff and prisoners an equal opportunity to speak, effectively break down the traditional culture. Grievances can be aired and hostilities expressed verbally and without physical violence. The group establishes the norms for individual behavior. The BSU gives the prisoners the freedom, within broad parameters, to determine how they spend their days. Finally, visiting rights are considerably more extensive than in a mainstream prison. Behavior changes among Barlinnie Special Unit prisoners include lower assault rates and less disruption. Additionally, prisoners may learn to relate to others in a nonaggressive way and to develop new, nonprisoner social contacts. 3 footnotes and 3 references