Scottish prisoners get a guide to rights under the prison rules for the first time
People who are in prison in Scotland will have access to an easy-to-understand guide to their rights under the prison rules, for the first time.
The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011, known as the Prison Rules for short, is the law under which people are managed in custody.
The rules are written in legal language and can therefore be difficult to read. The new booklet published today is a guide to rights under the prison rules, written in plain English, and explains how people can expect to be treated in prison and what their rights are.
It has been produced by the Scottish Human Rights Commission and Parkhead Citizens Advice Bureau and printed and published by the Scottish Prison Service. Find it online on the Scottish Prison Service website.
Professor Angela O’Hagan, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, said: “This guide to the Prison Rules will make a real difference for prisoners and their families.
“We know that people in Scotland’s prisons face real challenges in making complaints, some of which could amount to human rights violations. Not least is the lack of accessible information about rights and the law.
“The requirement to have an accessible and available prison complaints system is outlined in published standards of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
“The Scottish Human Rights Commission collaborated with Parkhead Citizens Advice Bureau to develop the Prison Rules as part of our wider work on access to justice for prisoners.
“We’ll be releasing a report later this year which includes further detail on the challenges of making complaints about prisons, as well as recommendations on how the system could be improved.
“We recommend that the Scottish Prison Service and the Scottish Government ensure that the guide to the rules is made available to prisoners across Scotland, and their families.
“They should be translated into community languages and made available in accessible formats, including British Sign Language and easy read.”
ENDS
For media enquiries at SPS, please contact Gareth Rose on 07584 288260 or gareth.rose@prisons.gov.scot
For media enquiries at SHRC, please contact Judy Fladmark on 07880 398530 or judy.fladmark@scottishhumanrights.com
Notes to editors:
- The booklet is being launched by the Scottish Prison Service at a workshop event at HMP Barlinnie on Thursday 31 July 2025 where Parkhead Citizens Advice Bureau have a long-standing role in providing important support, advice, and information services to people in custody.
- Two workshops are also being held – one for staff and one for people in custody – on how to support people using the booklet, and the Commission is supporting this.
- You can find out more about our spotlight work on Access to Justice for potential human rights breaches.