Copyright dailyrecord
The Record’s Save Young Lives campaign to stem the tide of youth suicides in Scotland has already made an impact. It was launched on Wednesday and already government minister Jenny Gilruth has met campaigners and agreed to consider their demands. And we are confident all of Scotland’s main political parties will do their part to make sure this and youth mental health more generally are key issues in the next Holyrood election. But this is not a political campaign and tackling young suicides is not just an issue for the government. At every level in Scottish life, Daily Record readers can play a part to keep our young people safe. Within our families and homes, at schools and youth clubs, in the justice system, changes can be made to make young people feel safe and supported. Today we detail important tools that every adult can use to help young people’s mental health. Graham Goulden is a former top police officer who now advises law enforcement agencies around the globe. And he teaches new ways to make sure young people and those looking after them know how to prevents suicides, His PACT technique – Probe, Alert, Challenge, Take action – is a simple tool everybody can use. Put simply, talking, listening and then trying to help is the best thing we can all do. So please read his story in today’s Daily Record – and, if you can, play your part to Save Young Lives. Scotland's only private prison is revealed in today’s Daily Record as the most violent and dangerous in the country. Figures released by the Scottish Prison Service under freedom of information show Addiewell jail in West Lothian had more prisoner self-harm incidents than any other facility. It also had the most prisoner assaults last year – almost double the figure for notorious Barlinnie jail, which houses far more inmates. The jail is currently facing prosecution over the death of Calum Inglis in 2021 from Covid. It has been plagued by staffing issues and claims that it is effectively controlled by organised crime gangs. While the Scottish Government is spending £1billion on a new jail for Glasgow , this is no time to be pouring vast sums of public cash into Addiewell Prison to deal with the problems there. But it is clearly a prison in crisis and it is time that the various private firms with a stake in facility were told that improvements must be made.
