Serco has transferred the operations of private prison HMP Kilmarnock to the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) after its contract with Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd ended in Scotland, UK.

The high-security facility accommodates male adult prisoners, including those on remand and male young offenders on remand, serving short-term or long-term sentences. As one of the two privately operated prisons in Scotland, it features 500 individual cells and can house up to 692 inmates. Serco has been responsible for managing the institution since 1999 under a 25-year contract with the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), which concluded on March 17, 2024. The Prison Officers Association (POA) has previously advocated for the prison to be brought under public control. This development comes amid increased scrutiny of the prison system in recent months due to concerns regarding its suitability and issues of overcrowding.