Compassionate Prisons

ACE-Aware Nation

Let's work together for Scotland to be the safest country in the world through Smart Justice.

Crowne Plaza Glasgow, an IHG Hotel

A Transformational Approach to Justice in ScotlandScotland is experiencing a significant shift in our approach to helping those in the justice system better understand the impacts of early childhood trauma. We have an aim for Scotland to be the safest country in the world, and we believe we can achieve this aim through Smart Justice. Smart Justice includes tackling the underlying causes of crime and offering people who have committed crime a programme of recovery and support, so that they are better able to contribute when they return to their families and communities. It also means a collaborative approach between health, education, social work, policing, and courts. We have seen the creation of a new group of ‘Trauma-Informed Lawyers’, who aim to raise awareness of childhood trauma across the justice workforce. They have partnered with The Law Society of Scotland to offer a Trauma Informed Lawyer Certification Course to its members. We have also seen the Scottish Sentencing Council (SSC) recommend “that judges take adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) into account when sentencing young people in a bid to break the link between trauma and reoffending”.The Scottish Prison Services (SPS) – Prisoner Survey 2017 stated that, “Research into ACEs has often made the link between negative experiences during childhood and incarceration. A study examining the impact of ACEs on a sample UK population in 2015 highlighted that, “the odds of having been incarcerated were 20.4 times higher for those who had experienced 4 or more ACEs compared to those who had experienced none” (Bellis).Compassion Prison ProjectTo support our vision for a fair and compassionate justice system in Scotland, and in partnership with SISCO (Sustainable Interventions Supporting Change Outside), Trauma Informed Lawyers and VRU, ACE Aware Nation, we are delighted to announce that we will be welcoming Fritzi Hortsman, founder of Compassion Prison Project (CPP), to Scotland from 23rd May to 3rd June 2022.Since 2019, Fritzi has been engaging prison residents in her work to understand their own childhood trauma, and by sharing the scientific research that shows the impact of ACEs on the developing brain. She believes “it is urgent to bring humanity and compassion to those living behind bars and these acts will help transform our society”.CPP has launched their new 12-part video series and workbook programme, entitled Trauma Talks, in prisons across the U.S. and around the globe. California Surgeon General Dr.Nadine Burke-Harris, on behalf of Governor Newsom’s office, joined them in September for the initial launch at Valley State Prison (VSP). VSP is now well on its way to becoming the nation's first fully trauma-informed prison. Fritzi also has a podcast series, called “Compassion in Action”, where she has held conversations with thought leaders, in the area of trauma, self-care and compassionate healing, including Dr Gabor Mate, Dr Stephen Porges, Dr Bruce Perry, and Dr Vincent Felitti – one of the co-authors of the ACEs Study.Visit to Scotland May 2022We are delighted that during her visit Fritzi will be working with Prison Officers and residents of HMP Edinburgh, HMP Barlinnie, HMP Addiewell, and the YOI at Polmont to deliver her Trauma Talks and Compassion Circle. This work will be continued after Fritzi’s visit by the team at SISCO to ensure full completion of the programme across each of the groups within the four prisons. The ConferenceOn 1st June 2022, we will be hosting an in-person conference, at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Glasgow. Here we will have the opportunity to hear about the work of Fritzi, we can hear her initial insights of her work within our Scottish Prison Services, and we may even, ‘Step Inside the Circle’.We will also hear from a range of speakers including Natalie Logan McLean, CEO of SISCO, Iain Smith, Partner at Keegan Smith Law firm and founder of Trauma-Informed Lawyers, James Docherty, mentor at the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), and Dr Suzanne Zeedyk, developmental psychologist and researcher. Full line-up of speakers to be confirmed.This event is open to all organisations and individuals across all sectors who want to understand the impact of ACEs and childhood trauma and to those who have a personal interest to better understand the “manifestations of the dysfunctions of our society” – Dr Gabor Mate.

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Compassionate Prisons

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