Prisons Minister Lord Timpson has urged for drugs within UK prisons to be treated as a public health issue, citing the need to tackle addiction and reduce reoffending. Speaking before the Welsh Affairs Committee, he highlighted the severe challenges posed by contraband smuggling and the devastating impact of drugs on inmate mortality rates.
HMP Parc in South Wales has seen 17 inmate deaths this year, five of which were reportedly linked to drugs. The prison’s director, Will Styles, described the various methods used by organised criminal gangs to smuggle drugs, including drone drops, visitors concealing substances in bodily orifices, and even children’s nappies. Staff corruption was also pinpointed as a contributing factor to the flow of illicit substances.
While efforts are underway to bolster safety and security, Mr Styles noted improvements in casualty rates, with no reported non-natural deaths since June. Gordon Brockington, managing director of G4S Care and Rehabilitation Services, which runs Parc prison, explained that deaths from natural causes primarily involved elderly inmates under palliative care, accounting for eight of the total fatalities.
Lord Timpson advocated for a shift towards substance-free prison wings alongside initiatives like purposeful activities, education programmes, and support for inmates to develop relationships with qualified staff. He stressed that helping prisoners overcome addiction could significantly reduce reoffending and victimisation.
“This is a big problem, but also a big opportunity,” Lord Timpson remarked, outlining how addressing drug addiction in prisons could transform lives and reduce long-term social harm. With organised crime targeting vulnerable inmates and methods of smuggling becoming increasingly sophisticated, the call for a public health-focused solution has gained urgent momentum.
Source: The Standard
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