"The penal system managers in Kilmarnock and their staff stand under pressure", reports prison chaplain Andrew Downie to his visitors from Crossroads (Germany). Kilmarnock – this is one of the 15 Scottish prisons and till now the only one which runs privately. There are about 500 inmates in this model institution, which opened 1999. Despite expensive security checks too many drugs reach behind the walls - and this causes more than headaches to the persons responsible.

In April 2003 Kilmarnock was the holiday destination of a group from the Crossroads Prison Ministry in Germany: sixteen mostly voluntaries from the German Ministry spend nine days of their Easter vacations here. The group practiced songs and skits and could perform an interesting programme in the different departments of Scottish prisons. Some members of the group have been criminals or addicted to drugs themselves and could share how they have found a new beginning with God’s help.

Rev. Andrew Downie works as a fulltime pastor in the prison Kilmarnock and has prepared our meetings. Still other visits are on our journey programme: the prison of Shotts, the about 100 year old Lodging house in Glasgow (a centre for homeless persons) as well as services in several churches. In comparison to the Kilmarnock-Jail, run by an American corporation, the Prison in Shotts is a "HMP" (Her Majesty Prison). This prison also has about 500 custody places. Shortly before the arrival of the German guests there have been several revolts and many prisoners were disposed to other prisons. Shotts is an institution for long time prisoners and for lifers. And also here the group from Crossroads sing and tell that God’s forgiveness doesn’t exclude any person. In the Christian churches the group challenges their listeners to integrate released prisoners and to get voluntarily engaged workers in Prison Ministry. Here they found a great interest because in many Scottish prisons there are already voluntary teams working.

"We are missing these comprehensive helps for ex-convicts ", says Rev. Downie. This year’s visit of the Crossroads-team in Scotland has created many contacts between German and Scottish voluntaries. Visits of Scottish co-workers in Germany and the translation of the Crossroads-training-material in English language are concrete activities which will follow.