Prison guards are being equipped with body-worn cameras after almost 3,000 officers were assaulted in less than a decade amid surging jailhouse violence.
Scottish Prison Service (SPS) bosses have begun rolling out the high-tech kit across its 16 jails, after successful trials at Barlinnie, Low Moss and Perth.
The £848,000 deal with Motorola will see body-cams issued to frontline officers to help deter violence, defuse flashpoints and capture prison showdowns, as they battle to keep a lid on pressure-cooker tensions behind bars.
The rollout comes against a backdrop of worsening violence behind bars, with jailhouse attacks surging by 90% in nine years, as Scotland’s prisons play catch-up with the rest of the UK in adopting body-worn cameras.
The Prison Officers’ Association Scotland (POA) warns assaults on staff increased by 86% between 2015 and 2024, while prisoner-on-prisoner violence rose by 54%.
Data shows there were 2974 officer assaults over the decade to 2024/25, as union chiefs claim jails have become the “most hostile and violent workplace” of any occupation.
An officer is assaulted almost every day in Scotland’s jails, with 350 attacks recorded last year amid severe overcrowding, rampant drug abuse, organised crime violence and staffing shortages.
Prison chiefs say the technology will deter attacks and criminal activity, de-escalate confrontations and gather vital evidence to “support safety, accountability and transparency”.
The devices will record both video and audio, creating a vital record of incidents as prison officers face some of the country’s most dangerous convicts – from killers and organised crime bosses to rapists and paedophiles.
It is also hoped tamper-proof evidence will help protect staff from false allegations made by prisoners against officers by providing a clear record of incidents.
Prison chiefs say officers will wear the cameras openly and give a verbal warning before recording begins – they say devices are strictly prohibited from being used for covert recording or surveillance activities.
The compact devices record high-definition footage and are commonly worn on the chest or shoulder.
But the bodycam move has sparked concern among some frontline officers, who fear the gizmos could also be used as a tool to monitor staff and support disciplinary action.
Scotland’s jails have been left playing catch-up after prisons elsewhere in the UK introduced body-cams years ago to help tackle violence and protect officers.
They began rollout in England and Wales following a national trial in 2017, which was expanded in 2023 to increase access for frontline officers.
Scotland’s only privately operated prison, HMP Addiewell, has also used the technology for years and was described by HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland in 2022 as “unquestionably leading edge within the Scottish Prison system” for its use of technology.
The rollout also comes after years of scrutiny over the use of force in Scotland’s prisons following the death of Allan Marshall at HMP Edinburgh in 2015.
Mr Marshall died four days after being restrained face-down by up to 17 prison officers.
SPS later accepted his death amounted to an unlawful killing.
It comes as Phil Fairley, general secretary of PAO Scotland warns the system “is under extreme pressure like never before”.
He said: “Prisoner numbers are at record levels and overcrowding is resulting in rising violence, drug misuse, self harm and low staff morale.
“The complexity of the prisoner population today is as big a factor as any other, with staff being asked to manage chronic mental health issues, serious organised crime gang activities, and an ever growing aging population of sex offenders with care needs unable to be delivered in a prison setting.”
He added: “Urgent action must be taken to reduce rising levels of violence against staff, prisoner-on-prisoner violence, prisoner self-harm and deaths in custody.”
An SPS spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our staff and those in custody is a key priority.
“A pilot of body-worn cameras has proven they deliver a range of benefits, around safety, evidence collation, de-escalation of incidents, and training and development, which have been welcomed by staff, and continue our efforts to be increasingly accountable and transparent.
“They will now be rolled out across our establishments.”
