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There seems to be numerous problems within the British prisons system when it comes to tackling drug issues for individuals. So what help is out there for those in active substance misuse that come into contact with the Criminal Justice System? How does the British prison system fair in comparison to other prison systems around the world? It’s a common conception that drug taking and crimes come hand in hand. So when an active substance misuser comes face to face with the law what steps are taken to provide help and recovery within the British Prison Systems?
CARAT Scheme
Counselling, Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare
> Introduced in 1999 and now in all prisons in England and Wales as a universal drug treatment service.
> Designed as a safety net for offenders who require support during the crucial post-release period and act as a gateway/link to other services.
> Emphasis on throughcare makes this intervention programme stand out from the rest.
> Inmates who participate in prison treatment that is followed by an aftercare programme in the community have significantly better outcomes than inmates who receive only the in-prison treatment
> Care plans, psychosocial interventions, one-to-ones, group work, referral to appropriate treatment services in-prison and in the community once released.
> There’s huge waiting lists
> Lack of community drug treatment places available resulting in RELAPSE
> Not effective with short term prison sentences.
> Treatment focuses on the individual
> 47% of prisoners stated it helped more than detox
> It’s a voluntary programme meaning all are willing to participate fully.
DENMARK
> About a 1/3 of inmates are considered to be addicts
> motivated inmates having at least three months left to serve in prison must be offered treatment within two weeks after they have expressed a desire to receive treatment.
> In Denmark there are units in prisons which contains inmates that are motivated for all-day treatment.
> The main point of view is the individual problem issues and by
using Cognitive, psychodynamic and psychosocial methods through
group therapy and individual therapy, the inmates progress
towards a life without addictive patterns- specific intervention.
> We cooperate and work with private treatment organisations /
institutions, which implements treatment therapists working at
the prisons in cooperation with the prison staff, the unit officers
and the social workers at the treatment Units, placed in every
prison in Denmark.
The most recent statement from
2007 showed a reoffending rate of just under 24%.
PORTUGAL
> At the recommendation of a national commission charged with addressing Portugal's drug problem, jail time was replaced with the offer of therapy.
> The argument was that the fear of prison drives addicts underground and that incarceration is more expensive than treatment — so why not give drug addicts health services instead?
> Under Portugal's new regime, people found guilty of possessing small amounts of drugs are sent to a panel consisting of a psychologist, social worker and legal adviser for appropriate treatment (which may be refused without criminal punishment), instead of jail.
> The proportion of drug-related offenders in the Portuguese prison population has dropped from 44% in 1999 to 21% in 2008.
So what is Britain doing wrong?
Statistics show that 80% of prisoners reoffend within two years of being released from prison and 55% of these are problematic drug users. What are other countries doing?
Methadone maintenance programmes
may help to reduce the risk of overdose on release- reduced tolerance.
Big Problem! Drug rehabilitation programmes