A parliamentary committee has issued a warning about the prevalent drug culture in prisons, emphasizing the urgent need to address the high levels of drug availability that pose a risk to inmates’ lives. According to the committee, 39% of prisoners have easy access to drugs, leading to significant challenges for the HM Prisons and Probation Service in maintaining order and aiding in offender rehabilitation.
The committee’s report highlighted the severe human toll of the crisis, revealing that 16% of the 833 deaths investigated between December 2022 and 2024 were linked to drug use. It was also noted that a considerable number of inmates, 11% of men and 19% of women, reported developing substance abuse issues after entering prison, particularly with New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) due to their affordability, accessibility, and potency.
Recommendations from the report include urgent updates to prison drug testing protocols and a thorough review of medication dispensing procedures within prisons to identify and eliminate any loopholes. Additionally, concerns were raised about the increasing use of drones to smuggle not only drugs and mobile phones but also weapons into prisons, with a notable 77% rise in drone sightings from 2019 to 2023.
Labour MP Andy Slaughter, the chair of the Justice Committee, expressed grave concerns about the endemic drug crisis within the prison system, emphasizing the need to break the culture of acceptance surrounding drug use. He stressed the detrimental impact of illicit drug trade on safety, control, and rehabilitation efforts in prisons, calling for urgent reforms to tackle the supply chain and combat the rise of sophisticated technologies like drones.
The Ministry of Justice and HM Prisons and Probation Service have been urged to increase Mandatory Drug Testing rates and expedite the implementation of surveillance measures to detect new substances. Without immediate action to address the root causes of the drug problem and enhance security measures, prisons will continue to face instability, safety risks, and struggles in managing the drug crisis. The Justice Department has been contacted for further comments.