Barlinnie is Scotland’s largest jail and is so overcrowded and outdated that it could suffer from a tragic failure at any time according to its governor. At this present time Barlinnie is running at a 140% capacity with just under 1,400 individuals when it is only designed for 987 individuals.

Although, there is a replacement jail that was due to open in 2025 but this has now been pushed back to 2027 which is a massive issue according to Governor Micheal Stoney.

Governor Stoney told the BBC that he spends most of his time trying to keep the prison functional and the prison will not last that much longer as the infrastructure fails continuously. 

Governor Stoney believes that a move to a new HMP Glasgow could lead up to a 20% reduction in reoffending due to increased rehabilitation services. At this present moment this is not the case as the jobs of prison offices is becoming increasingly harder due to the use of psychoactive substances among inmates.

By having a new HMP Glasgow will allow a much safer and secure accommodation. Governor Stoney believes that a new build prison will have huge benefits for the prison population and along with the general public.