Voices of Prisoners: Experiences Shared with Let’s Be Heard – A Case Study

The following section contains a selection of additional quotes from prisoners who shared their experiences and perspectives of the pandemic in Scotland in their own words. The views expressed do not represent, nor anticipate, the Inquiry’s conclusions or recommendations.

Please note that this appendix does not contain a full dataset, as some responses have been excluded for safeguarding and confidentiality reasons. 

• “Everything should have been done a lot sooner and more thought and care considered.”
• “SPS did not take it seriously.”
• “Firstly, as a prisoner at [prison name redacted] the pandemic preparation was followed far too late.”
• “Due to preparation being so late it led to the full jail lockdown this resulting in no visits, virtually no healthcare, meals being late (2+ hours) and cold/stale.”
• “During COVID once one person caught it everyone was locked down for 14 days. That cycle continued for 2 months.”
• “It is the folk running the country that need to get it right. They should of acted sooner.”
• “With the information at the time, I don't think the government could have done much more.”
• “It was far too slow for anything that the government did for us.”
• “In 2021, the government still hadn't made it mandatory for everyone to be tested which resulted in me catching COVID from another person after I was tested.”
• “Act promptly to save lives - don't just sit there and wait for it to set root before acting.”
• “Better planning for mental health support.”
• “I'm not sure SPS still has a concrete strategy for any future pandemic or medical isolation and will depend on local management to try to sort something out instead of provided national guidance for prisons.”
• “We did not have time to prepare for lockdown. It just happened and at first it was like a slap in the face, but we had to just get on with it and do our best to get on with our lives.”
• “It seemed the staff were ill-informed. Action plans need to be drawn up not for just COVID but anything and everything that can happen.”
• “[Prison name redacted] pandemic prep too late.” 
• “Once COVID was positive in our wing it spread so fast that staff were overwhelmed, and no support or training was issued to them which led to us left with no information on what happens next.”
• “Ultimately, a prison, or prison service should already be prepared for emergency risk, including pandemics, epidemics and other possible outbreaks. What I have come to learn is that not just establishments and individuals but also direction from government lacked and true directions or leadership.”
• “The government need to be better prepared in future and take everything serious.”
• “There was also a lack of PPE being used and there was no preparation put in place for a pandemic.”
• “Plans need to be drawn up not for just COVID but anything and everything which might happen.”
• “I don't think anything could have prepared me and others for what was about to happen.”
• “Employ more specialists to deal with future pandemics.”
• “A government should be prepared for any emergency outbreaks and necessary PPE should be kept in stock for such emergencies.”
• “The SPS acted according to government regulations to keep it "safe from sue-ing" and to be seen to "act appropriately".”
• “The prison did not deal with the pandemic very good.”
• “In prison it was a complete nightmare as staff and prisoners never knew when we were coming or going.”
• “In a controlled environment protocols were adhered to - even having COVID - isolated with others in same position we supported one another.”
• “I believe that from the top down no one had a grip on what was happening or the real danger associated with this virus.”
• “I am in a prison, so everything just stopped for the best part of 4 years.”
• “It was left to us to make sure that we done our best to stop the spread of COVID-19.”
• “To be more thorough in your going forward and pray this doesn't reoccur as the prison service did not have a clue.”
• “At the start no one knew how to manage COVID so in all fairness the S.P.S did a good job.”
• “Authorities should have a long look at how they have let people like myself down after all we were all in the same boat and they didn't care enough.”
• “The SPS and NHS government did their best they could as no one had experienced this a lot of people are still alive. There are good and bad in every new pandemic.”
• “In my situation as an inmate of an SPS run prison things were quite haphazard.”
• “The government should be made accountable for gross mistakes they imposed.”
• “In my opinion, the Scottish Government also did a good job.”
• “I think the government hesitated to take action and this has a knock-on-effect across the country.”
• “Lack of clear direction was evident from Scottish Government; they just followed UK Government.”
• In 2021, the government still hadn’t made it mandatory for everyone to be tested which resulted in me getting COVID from another person after I tested.”
• “Inadequate procedures and lengthy delays in bringing in methods of family contact. Vaccination for prisoners was lax. Treated like a fourth-class citizen.”
• “Outbreak management was a joke as staff were coming to work even though had positive results which led to more and more infection rates.”
• “Staff looked tired you saw a lot of staff overtime, and some told me they had problems at home.”
• “Rightful loss of trust in the Scottish Government.”

• “Being in prison during the pandemic was hell. No communication from the SPS or health services.” 
• “Government should provide more info.”
• “When I just heard about COVID-19, I was in prison in 2019 only hearing about it from a form and then on the news 24/7 really made me anxious constantly witnessing the COVID figures and death tolls rising rapidly without knowing much information about what COVID really was.”
• “Prison was totally crazy during pandemic. Between staff and prisoners, we didn't know what was going on.” 
• “There should be a better way of communication from level to level - Government - SPS headquarters - prison management - prison staff - prisoners.”
• “During the initial outbreak of COVID there was a lot of misinformation.”
• “The first 6 months was mayhem; nobody knew what was happening.”
• “The impact in prison was torture as you couldn't see anyone couldn't find out what was happening.”
• “There should be better communication NHS, SPS AND prisoners as this is useful to alleviate any anxiety and dispel rumours.”
• “It was worrying to know COVID was happening, yet we didn't know what was happening with death rates getting high it caused a lot of stress.”
• “The Government should inform the public people as soon as a disease is known in the UK or other countries or anyone bringing a disease in.”
• “The government should provide for people more information.”

• “Again, a lot of confusion, staff did not seem to understand how to manage day to day.”
• “SPS staff did not inform any prisoner of any staff who had tested positive for COVID whilst on shift.”
• “Staff took a cavalier attitude to the use of PPE, some would wear it on occasion, others just wouldn't bother. As staff were the biggest risk to us this was very poor.”
• “Staff did their best to keep us safe and updated but it was hard. Staff seemed unsure or unaware of risks and processes.”
• “Distancing and PPE rules were frequently flouted by SPS staff who did not take isolation seriously enough.”
• “Officers never followed the guidelines in regard of distance.” 
• “The lack of information about isolation periods, these kept changing – and a lack of tests made it hard to know who was and wasn’t positive. People would often lie or hide symptoms.”
• “During the period I was in prison, the primary issue was prison staff bringing the virus into the prison estate.”
• “Prison was totally crazy during pandemic. Between staff and prisoners, we didn't know what was going on. Although the staff were trying to keep us up to date.”
• “There was a lot of confusion for both staff and inmates. COVID testing was hit and miss. As we were all isolated in our cells, testing was self-administered and not often checked by staff.”
• “Very little family contact due to staff's inconsistent approach to prisoners.”
• “Prison officers having to deal with home life and prison life with no formal help as far as I know.”
• “Staff compliance to rules - process for whistle-blowing.”

• “Being in a small environment like a prison the impact of infection was quite dramatic as you could see its progress within the prison population.”
• “Once COVID came into the prison, it spread like wildfire and put so many lives at serious risk. Staff were given suitable PPE. We were given recycled t-shirts turned into masks.” 
• “Better access to cleaning materials to maintain hygiene.” 
• “The prison was also slow in giving out protective essentials.”
• “Not being able to stay away from prisoners and staff especially when we did not get tested for so long. All we had were face masks and social distancing which was not sufficient.” 
• “There was also a lack of PPE being used.”
• “Be better prepared with the right PPE.” 
• “The ventilation wasn’t going along with government guidelines.”
• “No hand wipes for the first lockdown. I had no hot water for 3 weeks during it. The second lockdown was a bit better, we got tested but ended up getting positives mixed up with negatives, and the negatives ended up locked up longer coz let someone to mixes with us who’s result wasn’t back and though he was negative when he wasn’t, it was a joke, no PPE an access to cleaning stuff.” 
• “No appropriate PPE for prisoners who were key workers and involved in food prep and cleaning out cells which needed appropriate chemicals to ensure the next person wasn't entering an infected cell.”
• “There was also a lack of PPE being used and there was no preparation put in place for a pandemic.”
• “PPE equipment was like gold dust both on the outside and when I ended up in prison.”
• “Not just COVID PPE but for all areas of PPE required roles/jobs etc there has never been appropriate type or availability.”
• “We were issued with basic facemasks, but we were unclear about how and when to use them.”
• “My job was cleaning showers for 44 prisoners all we had were rubber gloves and a mask.”
• “Face masks were compulsory throughout the establishment.”
• “It should be made mandatory for everyone to be tested and wear PPE.”
• “It was a joke no PPE no access to cleaning stuff nothing.”
• “Give us the PPE stuff.” 
• “Less movement in hospitals and quicker use of PPE and masks.”

• “I was at trial, and it was stopped because I was supposedly in close contact with someone that had COVID when tested. I didn’t and never had it once. My trial was then put back three months. The staff in the jail who physically touch the person weren’t even off once touching the person and my trial was put off because of it.” 
• “It was shocking for people on remand for the time it took for them getting to trial.”
• “I was on bail. This was prolonged due to no courts in operation, then a backlog. Felt like I'd served three years in prison due to prolonged anxiety.”
• “Keep the justice system moving and don't delay trials.”
• “We couldn't leave our area/prison, and yet prisoners were always being there, or coming straight off the street from court, untested, keeping a real fear culture within the prison, this is no way to live.”

• “Progression to less secure conditions in preparation for release stopped. Prisoners spent years longer in prison as a result.” 
• “We were running about like headless chickens, mental health issues and general rehabilitation shelved.”
• “Ensure that peoples sentences are not extended through a lack of effort on the subject - i.e. do nothing and let people languish in jail.”
• “I am serving a life sentence, my progression was halted as a result of COVID. Instead of 2 years in national top end, I spent 4 years there.”

• “From 2019-2023 we are still under COVID restrictions we have not come out of COVID. As we are still being locked up at 4.30m every day.”
• “The prison done our best but failed to recover, this left us with trust issues, poor mental health and concern for the future.”
• “As of 15th November 2023, [Prison name redacted] is still on 'COVID timetable regime' - the only prison in Scotland to be so, despite former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's assurance to Holyrood Parliament to the contrary - indicating false information passed to parliament.”
• “To this day the SPS is still running the same COVID routine it’s understandable why this happened but for it not returning was bad.”
• “The SPS has still not returned to a before COVID regime, which is concerning.”
• “Even now we are still living on manageable COVID restrictions, well depending how it suits the people in charge.”
• “In prison if we are told routine/restrictions are only temporary, they should be. Instead, we have adult prison closing from 5pm. It’s ridiculous.”
• “Some people’s behaviour deteriorated so much that it has had a massive effect on everyone in here, prisoners, staff, education, rehabilitation, NHS staff, families.”

• “It was hard for prisoners as we were just locked up and nothing to do i.e. crafts, TV, cell hobbies.”
• “Lockdown was 23 hours a day with 1 hour exercise, in cell meals. Once 10 people tested positive, everyone was on the lockdown procedure.”
• “I was in prison when I first got COVID, I was kept locked up without a shower, phone call or exercise. In the end all of the hall got locked up 24/7.”
• “Was locked away with nothing couldn't leave my cell go to exercise, the gym, socialise with other had to shower myself had my dinners brought to my door basically it had affected my mental health.”
• “I could moan about small things i.e. getting out to use the phone and not getting out to the yard but it was a learning curve for us all.”
• “They responded positively by increasing rations, distributing mobile phones and providing telephone credit. However often initial efforts were withdrawn or scaled back. Many people struggled, mental health, being locked up.”
• “Nothing happened in the prison except for exercise, all other activities did not happen.”
• “Everything just stopped for the best part of 4 years, any outside activities just stopped, the gyms closed we spent 23 hours a day in a cell with no communication to anyone except for the staff at mealtimes.” 
• “Education was stopped, restrictions were hard to cope with. We were given extra wages to work in the laundry.”
• “There was also no exercise for the first four days breaching my human rights.”
• “Shower once a week, no access to imam or Muslim prayers, couldn't contact family until mobiles were eventually given, this caused depression and anxiety not knowing if they were okay. No education or outdoor exercise, every meal was behind our doors no access to microwave to heat food.”
• “The SPS imposed severe restrictions to reduce contact among prisoners including cancelling most out-of-cell activity, visits, exercise and association.”
• “We were running about like headless chickens, mental health issues and general rehabilitation shelved.”
• “We were all locked up. The prisoners who refused the jab were only given exercise with prisoners who were positive for COVID. It seemed like a punishment to me for refusing the jab.”

• “Better access to cleaning materials to maintain hygiene standards.”
• “We got 1 shower every 3 days.”
• “People turned hygiene paranoid.”
• “Time out of cell was sparse, even for a shower.”
• “Although hygiene measures were in place it was unclear to many what routines were and how to deal with such a pandemic.”

• “Give us the PPE stuff and give us at least an extra carton of milk. We were locked up 24 hours a day and we got a quarter pint of milk all day they didn't care about us.”
• “Due to preparation being so late it led to the full jail lockdown this resulting in no visits, virtually no healthcare, meals being late (2+ hours) and cold/stale.”
• “Had to eat every meal behind our doors.”
• “Lockdown and meal conditions were sporadic and ill-managed. Staff seemed to be operating on a 'try it and see' system.”
• “It effected a lot of prisoner mental health and wellbeing. The only time we seen staff was at mealtimes too.”
• “We got our meals cold too.”
• “Meals being served late, cold, and stale.”

• “The NHS staff were overstretched and very busy in the prison providing care and did as good a job as they could.”
• “I have nothing but praise for the NHS handling it well and sadness for those care givers who died.”
• “I am a prisoner in [prison name redacted], Scotland. The healthcare provisions are at best a hit and miss experience and disorganised most of the times.”
• “The testing which took place when a prisoner tested positive, and lack of isolation and distancing led to a lot of prisoners contracting COVID and then either getting seriously ill or continuing to suffer from long COVID symptoms.”
• “As it progressed, the impact of infection in the prison was profound but necessary to contain its spread and we were on the whole looked after.”
• “The healthcare has been ridiculous and has not improved since, access to doctor is almost non-existent.” 
• “The NHS seeing a doctor was bad. you had to wait months and that was dangerous to our mental health as people who needed help ended up using drugs or self-harming.”
• “The NHS was stretch at other times, but I didn't catch it they gave me test kits I had to test every 2 days.”
• “No trust in the health team - they should not be punishing guys at all.”
• “I had carers times a day that kept me cheerful as possible but down to prison rules they were limited.”
• “Isolation led to triggers in depression and PTSD. Self-medicated with alcohol and a downward spiral ensued. No NHS support, mental health services non-existent.”
• “Staffing issues in hospitals meant nurses were working in non-COVID wards then doing overtime in COVID wards or vice-versa.”
• “The NHS should doll out the same treatment and policies that they have for treatment in the community in the prison environment too - there should not be blatant disfunction in the levels of treatment offered.”
• “I been in isolation, and I'm struggle with my health but NHS test my health 10 days after isolation. I am very scared to die. No any medication. Nothing. and again 10 days isolation. I am total 20 days isolation, and I don't get I medication even I finish my 20 days isolation.”
• “Health management could have been better regular testing should have been undertaking which it was not. It was left to us to make sure that we done our best to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

• “Test kit availability was put to request via healthcare to get one. This could take days. By then it was too late.”
• “[Prison name redacted] and healthcare do not communicate leading to major health risks. I have never seen any other HMP where healthcare and prison staff fail on communication and duty of care.” 
• “COVID testing was hit and miss. As we were all isolated in our cells, testing was self-administered and not often checked by staff.”
• “Testing should always be easy to do so more test kits.”
• “Most importantly, as I am a life sentenced prisoner currently at a national top end unit, I am surrounded by people with various health concerns and ages, the testing and protection of individuals was a farce.”
• “Same thing with testing there was never enough to go around which cause a lot of agro in prison and between prisoners cause when we could see family, if you hadn't tested meant no visits.”
• “The NHS was stretch at other times, but I didn't catch it they gave me test kits I had to test every 2 days.”
• “There was little provision for any self-testing early in the pandemic.”
• “There were no lateral flow tests available.”
• “When I catch COVID I've not received any test. After 10 day I received one test. My option if somebody have COVID symptoms. So, test as soon as possible and give some indicate. I could have died. I am lucky my body fight with COVID because I am young man.”
• “Lack of information about isolation periods, these kept changing - and a lack of tests made it hard to know who was and wasn't positive. People who often lie or hide symptoms.”
• “The second lockdown was a bit better as we got tested but ended up getting the positives mixed up with negatives, and negatives end up locked up longer coz the let someone out to mixes with us who's result wasn't back and though he was negative when he wasn't.”
• “It should be made mandatory for everyone to be tested and wear PPE.”
• “Regular testing should of been undertaking which it was not.”
• “Access to testing kits.”
• “At first guys when testing with the ones we use now but they would flush them down the toilet so that no miss out on visit before they stopped at its worst then only 2 halls out of 9 open, so the staff were very busy.”
• “COVID test kits were for the most part limited and not everyone could test themselves.”
• “Eventually they tried to test everyone and staff it turned out to be 60 staff and 400 prisoners were positive. Two cells to my right and one to my left were positive I was negative. I think this was due to my own decisions to isolate myself from others and even talking to others.”
• “COVID testing was hit and miss. As we were all isolated in our cells, testing was self-administered and not often checked by staff.”
• “I don't think some of the test worked right.”
• “COVID tests were for the most part limited and not everyone could test themselves.”

• “My freedom as my mental health issues stopped me getting out of jail, when before the pandemic I had no mental health episodes for 12 years.” 
• “Strained family relations [and] mental health deterioration due to the isolation.”  
• “Personally, it was a physical and mental struggle to live day to day, I tried to hide from everyone and everything.”  
• “As a prisoner trying to get to a stage of progressing to an open estate the COVID pandemic became a way for people to excuse lack of effort or mistakes, as whenever something was done incorrectly, or done not at all we were told "Due to the covid pandemic..." which again and a damaging effect on mental and physical wellbeing.”  
• “My mental health was severely affected.” 
• “My self-esteem at the time was very low & at one point I was depressed.”  
• “My routine was obliterated, my mental health was the worst it's ever been. Stress, worry, it was torture.”
• “My granddad died April 2020 and I couldn't go to his funeral. It did not help my mental health. I felt like a caged animal.” 
• “No visits and no human contact has had an impact on my mental health and I'm scared about getting out of jail.” 
• “Suicidal thoughts were daily, thoughts of just giving up also daily. How anxious you were getting out, after these long periods of isolation to mix with the population again.”  
• “The mental health issues I experienced did not help when coupled with the isolation of covid.” 
• “When in prison mental health was an issue due to lack of activities we were locked up 23 hours a day during the pandemic.” 
• “When I just heard about COVID-19 I was in prison in 2019 only hearing about it from a form and then on the news 24/7 which really made me extremely anxious. Constantly witnessing the COVID figures and death tolls rising rapidly without knowing much information about what COVID really was.”  
• “We were running about like headless chickens. Mental health issues & general rehabilitation shelved.” 
• “Through 'covid' I was incarcerated in HMP [redacted], during this time both my physical and mental health were destroyed, contact with family ended, destroying the ties I had to the real world. To this day I still feel disconnected and alone. All that those in charge cared about was 'covid', I was locked in a tiny cell for 24 hours a day, exercise, gym or work, it became so bad I witnessed two inmates attempt suicide.” 
• “There was little attention paid to mental wellbeing or in-cell activities and many people struggled with being locked up for 23 hours per day.” 
• “The prison done our best but failed to recover, this left us with trust issues, poor mental health and concern for the future.” 
• “The N.H.S: seeing a doctor was bad. You had to wait months and that was dangerous to our mental health as people who needed help ended up using drugs or self-harming.” 
• “There was nothing but stress and boredom in prison. Quick shot of the phone to family for 5 minutes no visits. It has impacted my mental health but no one cares because we are prisoners.” 
• “The impact in prison was torture as you couldn't see anyone couldn't find out what was happening.” 
• “The effects of being locked up while a prisoner was challenging. This affected mental health, our whole routine was turned around.”
• “During the pandemic it became harder to remain in contact with family and friends which had a severe impact on my mental health.” 
• “Being locked up for 23.5 a day was torture and wasn't good for mental health.” 
• “Being locked in a room for 24 hours alone for a period of many months was totally soul destroying.” 
• “Had to wait for the next day before you could phone home. Then we got the phones in the cells which made a difference but it was more mentally than physically.” 
• “It effected a lot of prisoner mental health and wellbeing. The only time we seen staff was at mealtimes too. We got our meals cold too.” 
• “In a way like the way children’s mental health has been affected outside is the way it has adversely affected prisoners as the majority I have encountered are not very mature.” 
• “Lots of anxiety by being alone all the time, with being in prison with no control or real way to find out if family members were doing ok. A lot of mental health problems arose through the prison lockdown without much healthcare available for prisoners.” 
• “I was very worried that I might have it so bad so as not to recover from COVID. So many people didn't make it I feel for them and the ones they left behind.” 
• “I was locked away with nothing couldn't leave my cell go to exercise, the gym, socialise with other had to shower myself had my dinners brought to my door basically it had affected my mental health.”  
• “I stay 24 hours in cell and I am lonely. Maybe I could see my family anymore just my in cell. Just worry about everything.” 
• “I never received help or support for mental health during covid which was a big thing prisoners are still humans. We still have human rights.” 
• “I know peoples perception of prisons is that is how it should be but, that is a draconian mindset, the lockdown just made peoples mental health worse and set a lot of people back.”