Scotland plans mixed sex prisons

GLASGOW, England, July 18 (UPI) -- Male and female prisoners would be mixed together in facilities nearer their homes under a plan being considered by Scotland's prison authorities. "Community-facing" prisons designed to better maintain inmates' links with family and social services could help recidivism upon release, officials argue, the Glasgow Herald reported Friday. Ian Gunn, governor of Scotland's female prison at Cornton Vale, said he would back the changes with the assumption that appropriate services would be provided for women. "Ideally we would shake up the whole population and move them to the nearest place to where they will live when they leave prison," he said. A recent prison commission study found that Scotland's prison population has reached a record high of 8,105 and called for a reduction of 3,000 to 4,000... [read full story]