Duncan Stewart1. 1. Ministry of Justice, London, UK. duncan.stewart.1@city.ac.uk
Abstract
AIMS: To investigate pre-custody levels of drug use among newly sentenced prisoners and factors associated with perceived drug treatment need. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 1457 prisoners was recruited to a general purpose longitudinal survey of convicted prisoners starting a new sentence. MEASUREMENTS: Data were collected by structured interviews on reception to prison. Measures were taken of illicit drug use, drug treatment history, current treatment needs, psychological health and a range of social problems. FINDINGS: Life-time use of heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine powder, amphetamines or cannabis was reported by 79% of prisoners. Cannabis was the drug reported most commonly, but approximately a third had used heroin or crack cocaine during the year before custody. Nearly half of recent drug users reported wanting help or support with a drug problem during their sentence. Dependence on heroin and cocaine, previous drug treatment, employment, accommodation and psychological health problems were all associated positively with perceived treatment need. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of pre-custody drug use among this sample of newly sentenced prisoners was high. Because treatment need was associated with a range of drug, health and social factors, assessment and referral to appropriate interventions should occur as soon as possible on reception. Treatment should be coordinated with other services and support.
AIMS: To investigate pre-custody levels of drug use among newly sentenced prisoners and factors associated with perceived drug treatment need. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A sample of 1457 prisoners was recruited to a general purpose longitudinal survey of convicted prisoners starting a new sentence. MEASUREMENTS: Data were collected by structured interviews on reception to prison. Measures were taken of illicit drug use, drug treatment history, current treatment needs, psychological health and a range of social problems. FINDINGS: Life-time use of heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine powder, amphetamines or cannabis was reported by 79% of prisoners. Cannabis was the drug reported most commonly, but approximately a third had used heroin or crack cocaine during the year before custody. Nearly half of recent drug users reported wanting help or support with a drug problem during their sentence. Dependence on heroin and cocaine, previous drug treatment, employment, accommodation and psychological health problems were all associated positively with perceived treatment need. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of pre-custody drug use among this sample of newly sentenced prisoners was high. Because treatment need was associated with a range of drug, health and social factors, assessment and referral to appropriate interventions should occur as soon as possible on reception. Treatment should be coordinated with other services and support.
Authors: Maíra Mendes dos Santos; Maria Ines Quintana; Fernanda Gonçalves Moreira; José Geraldo Vernet Taborda; Jair de Jesus Mari; Sérgio Baxter Andreoli Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-11-19 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Anne Bukten; Ingunn Olea Lund; Stuart A Kinner; Eline Borger Rognli; Ingrid Amalia Havnes; Ashley Elizabeth Muller; Marianne Riksheim Stavseth Journal: Health Justice Date: 2020-05-12