LEGO in Scottish prisons aims to boost positivity among inmates

Scottish inmates are taking part in LEGO sessions in an attempt to boost confidence, positivity, and communication skills.

Perth Prisons have organised various activities to boost morale and social skills among inmates, ranging from taking care of hens to cooking classes. More recently, LEGO sessions in the evening are being employed as a low-cost form of distraction.

“The guys are really enjoying it,” Perth Prison governor Andy Hodge told the Scottish Daily Express. “There are some people here who have never been rewarded and never had someone say to them, ‘Well done’.”

Mr Hodge is keen to focus on rehabilitation, rather than solely punishment, for the men in his care. The use of LEGO bricks to aid this was first pioneered by Canadian neuropsychologist Daniel LeGoff.

“It is all about getting people in the right direction and supporting them on that journey,” he explained. “There are some who will say that we should lock everyone up and throw away the key but history shows that does not work. We need to do things differently now.

“Other prisons have been looking at the LEGO project and seeing if they could do something similar in their own establishments.”

However, some politicians have criticised the initiative for being too soft on inmates.

“Crime victims rightly expect those who commit serious crimes to be punished while serving a prison sentence,” Scottish Tory community safety spokesman Russell Findlay said to the Scottish Daily Express. “Surely it would be more beneficial for inmates to take part in education or training rather than playing with LEGO.”

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