Sara Snell has been appointed as the new HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland having served 25 years in England and Wales.
She replaces Wendy Sinclair-Gieben in the job after she stepped down in August 2024, having been in the role since 2018.
Stephen Sandham has been acting Chief Inspector since but Ms Snell is expected to begin the job in early February next year.
She was selected through an open recruitment process and has a wealth of experience behind her in prison and with prisoners.
That includes governing two prisons in England and Wales as well as leading an inspection team.
For the last nine years, she has worked as a prison systems adviser at the International Committee of the Red Cross and has been responsible for applying international humanitarian law and standards to improve the treatment and conditions of people detained across the world.
She said: “It is an honour and a privilege to be appointed to this role. I look forward to continuing the work of my predecessors in highlighting both the challenges and achievements in improving treatment and conditions in Scottish prisons and court custody suites.
“I am particularly excited by the opportunity for collaboration in developing systemic solutions that can support these vital services and our community.”
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Mr Sandham will now go back to being Deputy Chief Inspector and Justice Secretary Angela Constance is looking forward to working with both of them to deal with the challenges that Scotland’s prison’s face.
She said: “I welcome the appointment of Sara Snell as Scotland’s next Chief Inspector of Prisons.
“There is no doubt that the Scottish prison system faces a significant challenge due to the rising numbers of those in prison and the increasing complexity of that population. The independent scrutiny of the Inspectorate plays a vital role in informing our response to that.
“Sara Snell’s deep understanding of the operational complexities of prisons, as well as her longstanding commitment to human rights in places of detention will ensure she brings great value to this crucial role at such a critical time, and I look forward to working with her.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Stephen Sandham for stepping into the role of acting Chief Inspector bringing continuity and a steady hand in this interim period. I look forward to working with Ms Snell and Mr Sandham as he returns to the position of Deputy Chief Inspector.”
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