Springwatch is such a good programme, isn’t it? In the past, I’ve never bothered to prioritise watching it over all of the other wonderful options that you have on the outside but in here, along with its sibling, program, I make sure I watch it.

The natural world is stunning and awe inspiring. On of the most interesting things to me is when animals nest in random objects like farmers’ hats or the top bit of a gas canister. So many examples of adaptability and making the best of the circumstances which present themselves. I’m sure you can imagine how much that resonates with me in here.

There is one natural development which I find truly astonishing – metamorphosis. This year on Springwatch, they showed the process of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly and I’m sure you know, broadly speaking, what happens. Caterpillar into cocoon into butterfly. Chris Peckham didn’t explain exactly how it changed other than outlining that with the prison cell of the cocoon, enzymes ate through many of the physical parts of the caterpillar.

I still, therefore, don’t know exactly who it happens but I know that there is a process – stuff goes on, it’s an active method, the caterpillar doesn’t just get locked away and then released some time later expected to have developed. Maybe you can see where I’m going with this train of thought?

I have seen many prisoners arrive with an air of protective bravado but very little overt aggression. Of course, I realise that between 90 and 98% of convicted prisoners are guilty of at least some of their charges so most have committed horrible, potentially violent crimes. However, the vast majority don’t fight or behave aggressively.

There is a massive problem though, because time and time again, I see a metamorphosis and not a positive one. The most worrying was recently where over the course of several months, someone went from “a little bit loud” to almost uncontrollably aggressive. He spent frequent spells in the segregation unit and wrecked his cell several times. Every time he came out, he had to be escorted by four guards and the last time he kicked off, it took eight guards to restrain him.

He was released recently and, even at the point of liberation, he was aggressive and was escorted by four guards before being spat out of the gate into society. Now he is an extreme example but there are many, many examples of prisoners being psychologically changed by the system and being less able to function positively in society.

This place is not helping achieve a fairer, safer Scotland, the Scottish Prison Service is contributing to a more damaged Scotland.

I’ll end by reminding you that youdon’t have to have committed any crime to be in here, 25% of inmates are remand prisoners who have not been convicted of any offence, and of the remainder, between two and ten percent have been wrongly convicted.

NaN.