Decision report 201202112

Summary

Mr C, who is a prisoner, complained that, having been considered unsuitable several years previously for two behaviour-related courses in prison, it had now been decided that he should attend them. He considered that this might hold up his progression to more open conditions (ie to less secure prison conditions). He felt that this would not have been a concern had the decision about the need for the courses been taken some years earlier. We explained to him that decisions about participation on courses are for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), not this office. Our role was, therefore, solely to consider whether they had followed their normal processes correctly in reaching their decision.

From similar complaints, we were aware that a new assessment process for courses (generic assessment) had been introduced throughout the SPS, and it had been decided that all prisoners should be assessed under this to establish whether any earlier decisions about the need for courses should be changed. The SPS confirmed that this was why, after some years, Mr C's decision had been reviewed and changed. In other words, they had taken action in line with their normal process and there were no grounds for us to uphold the complaint.