HMP Kilmarnock, a jail in Scotland, becomes publicly owned and freed prisonners but...

Following the expiration of its agreement with Kilmarnock jail Services Ltd, management of the private jail HMP Kilmarnock was handed over to the Scottish Prison Service.

The move comes at a time when the prison estate has been under increased scrutiny in recent months due to worries about its suitability for purpose and congestion. Previously, the institution was managed by private contractor Serco.

This Thursday, Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, Chief Inspector for Prisons for Scotland, declared that HMP Greenock should be “bulldozed” and that HMP Barlinnie in Glasgow was in danger of experiencing a “catastrophic failure.” However, she did commend the staff and relationships at HMP Greenock.

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HMP Kilmarnock is “well run,” with “long-standing links to its local community, and a determination to deliver the best possible outcomes for those in its care,” according to Teresa Medhurst, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service.

The solid relationships that support the institution are a credit to the senior leadership group and the employees who work there, she continued, and they have surely contributed to its overall success.

“The transition of HMP Kilmarnock has been a singular and significant responsibility for all parties involved, and I express my gratitude to the SPS, Serco, and KPSL teams for their incredibly diligent efforts in making this happen.”

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Everyone at Serco, according to Mark Whittaker, managing director of the company’s justice business, is “immensely proud of our track record.”

Killie has not only given its inmates a respectable and safe atmosphere during their incarceration, but it has also proven to be the most economical jail in

Additionally, Whitaker expressed gratitude to the facility’s employees, calling them “an extraordinary team of people who have done a challenging and demanding job with professionalism and compassion.”