Scottish Prison Probe on Poker

Edinburgh prisoners at Saughton have been playing poker and reportedly keeping track of wins and losses, and Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has launched a probe to find out what is going on. He has expressed that, if true, the practice of allowing prison inmates to play poker and "run up debts" is not an acceptable one, and that convicts should have better ways of passing the time. According to reports fights break out among the prisoners over unpaid debts and allegations of cheating. MacAskill is concerned that an attempt by the prison to keep the convicts occupied and out of trouble had backfired.