Working With Offenders
Prison Service Drug Strategy
The relationship between drug misuse and criminal behaviour is a complex one. There is evidence to suggest that in some instances drug misuse causes criminal behaviour - research has indicated up to a third of property crime is drug driven.
The current Prison Service Drug Strategy was introduced in 1998 and the aim of the strategy is to reduce rates of drug misuse during and after custody and reduce the likelihood of drug-related re-offending. The strategy forms part of the United Kingdom’s National Drug Strategy. After several years in which the Prison Service’s primary focus was on reducing the supply of drugs into prison and detecting drug use, the emphasis now is on significantly expanding drug treatment provision.
Detoxification - In December 2000 the Prison Service introduced a new standard for clinical services for substance misusers. This ensures that good quality detoxification services are available in all local and remand prisons to a level at least comparable with those in the community.
CARATs (Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare services)- a package of services which over the last 18 months has been made available in every prison in England and Wales. CARATs provides support and advice to prisoners while in the establishment, referring prisoners on to more intensive treatment programmes if applicable, and forms a bridge to accessing services in the community on release.
Drug Rehabilitation Programmes - These are intensive treatment programmes for prisoners with moderate to severe drug misuse problems and related offending behaviour. The programmes must not only tackle drug misuse but also reduce the likelihood of re-offending. There are currently 51 such programmes. Rehabilitation programmes are delivered through a multi-disciplinary approach which involves community agencies under contract to the Prison Service. They conform to What Works principles and are subject to the demands of accreditation.
The other strands of the strategy relate to reducing the supply of drugs in prisons, mandatory drug testing for prisoners, voluntary drug testing for prisoners, work towards an alcohol strategy and work on post release hostels.
The Prison Service also intend to commission independent research into the effectiveness of the drug strategy and of the different types of interventions. Independent research has already been commissioned into the differential needs of specific groups of offenders such as ethnic minorities, young offenders and women and results will be available in spring 2002.
Last update: 16/09/03