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HM Prison Aberdeen (formerly known as Craiginches) was a medium-security prison, located in the city of Aberdeen, Scotland. The prison was managed by the Scottish Prison Service. Known as one of the most overcrowded prisons in Scotland, it had a design capacity of 155 and was contracted to hold up to 230 prisoners. However, on the first day of an inspection in January 2009 it held 264 prisoners. In 2014, it was closed in favour of the new HMP Grampian and the site was redeveloped as a housing estate.[1]
 | |
| Coordinates | 57°7′58.2″N 2°5′38″W / 57.132833°N 2.09389°W |
|---|---|
| Status | Demolished |
| Capacity | 155 |
| Opened | 1890 |
| Closed | 11 January 2014 |
| Former name | Craiginches |
| Managed by | Scottish Prison Service |
| Street address | Grampian Place |
| City | Aberdeen |
| Postal code | AB11 8FN |
| Country | Scotland |
| Website | Official website (archived 2013) |
| Notable prisoners | |
| Henry John Burnett | |
In its latter years it saw an increase in inmates from outside the Grampian Sheriffdom, mainly from Wolverhampton and London. The diverse population led to many internal feuds and disputes. It ran exceptional drug rehabilitation programmes and was a pioneer for drug projects such as drug use kits etc. The management also wished to pilot a needle exchange programme. In August 2007 Aberdeen Prison was chosen to pilot a new initiative called the Substance Related Offending Behaviour Program (SROBP) piloted by Officers Graeme Robson and Allan Dewar which looked at prisoners finding the relationship between their substance use and their offending behaviour. This programme has been very successful in reducing rates of recidivism. Aberdeen Prison was also recognised for its investment in in-house Bereavement Counseling services facilitated by Graeme Robson and Wayne Lawson. On 4 June 2008, it was announced that HMP Aberdeen and HMP Peterhead would be merged into a "Super Prison" and a new state of the art prison built on the Peterhead site.
A new tranche of managers were recruited identifying key skills such as prisoner management, problem solving, project management and compliance. Initially identified was Graeme Robson who is now a Residential Compliance Manager. The "Super-Jail" can accommodate approx 500 prisoners and the new prison is known as HMP Grampian. Aberdeen Prison which served predominantly Aberdeen city and its environs has been closed and have been replaced by HMP & YOI Grampian, a prison located in Peterhead which has been described as a "community facing Prison". However 70% of Grampian's populace is from Aberdeen city.
Henry John Burnett, the last man to be executed in Scotland, was hanged inside the prison on 15 August 1963.[2][3]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Begbie, Scott (29 December 2023). "Grim day when the last man hanged in Scotland was executed at Craiginches Prison". Press and Journal. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ "On this day in 1963: Last man to be hanged in Scotland". The Scotsman. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ "City's first hanging for 106 years". The Times. No. 55781. 16 August 1963. p. 5. ISSN 0140-0460.