Category: Prisons
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MBM letter to the Scottish Human Rights Commission
It is almost five years since the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) stated that it intended to review its 2014 Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment Policy. This means that the...
24th October 2023
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Changing the prison rules
In 2014, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) published its Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment policy, allowing prisoners to be accommodated and searched on the basis of self-declared gender identity....
29th June 2023
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The missing statistic: assessing Scottish Prison Service policy on transgender prisoners
In late 2018 the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) commented in an online media article that it intended to review its Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment policy. Developed over a...
22nd June 2023
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Briefing note on SPS Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment Policy
On Wednesday 22 February, the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee will take evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice Keith Brown MSP and the Chief Executive of the Scottish...
16th February 2023
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MBM statement on the Scottish Prison Service urgent case review
The SPS urgent case review is not drafted for clarity. Careful reading shows that the SPS still believe that there are some male prisoners whose sex should not automatically...
10th February 2023
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Lucy Hunter Blackburn: speech to the No Males in Female Jails demonstration, 9 February 2023
“One of the first times I spoke in public on women’s rights was in June 2019, on this subject – what was happening in prisons in Scotland. I said...
9th February 2023
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Guest blog: does the Scottish Prison Service risk assessment for placing transgender prisoners protect women?
In the end, the only risk the SPS seems to be concerned about, was the risk to themselves. A guest blog by Dr Alessandra Asteriti Dr Alessandra Asteriti has...
6th February 2023
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MBM response to the Justice Secretary statement on protecting prisoners
The recent controversy over the placement of trans identified male prisoners in female prisons has thrown into sharp relief how, for the best part of a decade, the Scottish...
29th January 2023
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The SPS Equality Impact Assessment on its trans prisoner policy
This blog looks at the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) as part of developing its Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment policy. Background The...
29th January 2023
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What does the Scottish Prison Service really think about the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
On 22 December 2022 the Scottish Parliament passed the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. The Bill amends the Gender Recognition Act 2004 for Scotland, allowing any person aged 16...
13th January 2023