Combating drug misuse in our prisons could be one of the best ways to cut reoffending. A
prison sentence should, for a drug-addicted criminal with a chaotic lifestyle, act as a form of respite – not just for the community, but also for the offender themselves. Yes – prison
should be a place of punishment, but it should also be a chance to get clean.
An effective strategy to combat drug misuse in prisons means tackling drug smuggling and supply, while ensuring that the treatment regimes give prisoners the best possible chance of getting – and staying – clean. The previous Government failed to do either.
Our new report, Coming Clean, contends that the majority of drug-dealing within prison is highly-organised and involves the collusion of around 1,000 corrupt members of staff – around seven prison officers per prison.
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