Management of confidential correspondence from solicitor to prisoners

The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is reminding solicitors of the need to ‘double envelope’ any correspondence which is sent to clients who are in custody, with a covering letter to the prison governor.

This is designed to ensure that the correspondence is passed to the individual unopened.

It follows a recent spike in the number of incidents where the double envelop system was not followed.

According to SPS 'the double envelope system is not only critical in ensuring that solicitors correspond with their clients confidentially, but critical in preventing and disrupting organised crime and the efforts of those that would seek to put at risk the safety of staff and prisoners, as well as the security and good order of prisons.’