The Justice Secretary expresses deep regret over the tragic deaths of two young individuals in custody, pledging reforms to prevent future incidents
Polmont: It’s heartbreaking to hear about Katie Allan and William Lindsay. Both young lives were lost in 2018 while they were in a young offenders institution. Katie was just 21, and William was only 16. Such a tragedy.
The Justice Secretary, Constance, recently spoke out after a report highlighted serious failures in the care systems meant to protect them. She expressed her deepest condolences to their families and said she was truly sorry for their deaths.
She emphasized that these suicides were not just tragic but also preventable. It’s a tough pill to swallow, knowing that these young people were under state care when they died.
In response to a Fatal Accident Inquiry, which made 35 recommendations to prevent future suicides in prisons, Constance laid out some immediate actions. She mentioned that the Scottish Prison Service would urgently review its policies on ligatures in cells.
There’s also going to be a complete overhaul of the suicide prevention strategy, and new systems will help prison staff identify inmates at risk. It’s about making sure that no one else has to go through this.
Constance also promised free legal aid for bereaved families, which is a big step forward. Plus, there will be an independent review of the Fatal Accident Inquiry system to see how it can be improved.
She’s determined to lead changes across the Scottish Prison Service and other agencies. It’s clear that while some changes have already been made, there’s still a lot of work to do.
Constance believes there needs to be a cultural shift in how these agencies work together. She also mentioned that we need to rethink how we handle justice, suggesting that many cases could be managed safely in the community rather than in prison.
