DRUGS IN PRISON: A BREAK IN THE PATHWAY

Abstract

The use of psychoactive substances by offenders is a major preoccupation among correctional network clinicians, researchers and administrators. However, very little is known about this phenomenon during incarceration. The research presented here explores patterns of inmate drug use during imprisonment. Selected at random, 317 respondents in 10 Canadian penitentiaries were interviewed in 1999 to complete self-reported questionnaires. The data indicate various types of important changes, notably with regard to substances used, frequency of use, motivations for use, and inmates’ perception of their psychological state during periods of intoxication.

• Prison
• Drugs
• Patterns
• Motivations
• Psychological state

RESUMEN

El consumo de sustancias psicoactivas por los contraventores constitue una preocupación mayor por los clínicos, investigadores y administradores de la red correccional. No obstante, se sabe muy pocas cosas sobre este fenómeno durante el incarcelamiento. La presente investigación se interesa entonces a los patrones de uso de drogas de los detenidos mientras estan encerrados. Se entrevistó a unos 317 incarcelados, seleccionados al azar y distribuidos a través de diez penitenciarias canadienses, a fin de llenar un cuestionario auto-revelado. Los datos indican unos cambios importantes y de varios indoles, principalmente en lo relacionado con los productos consumidos, la frecuencia de uso, las motivaciones a consumir y la percepción de su estado psicológico en los momentos de intoxicación.

RÉSUMÉ

La consommation de substances psychoactives des contrevenants constitue une préoccupation majeure des cliniciens, chercheurs et administrateurs du réseau correctionnel. Néanmoins, l’on sait très peu de choses sur ce phénomène durant l’incarcération. La présente recherche s’intéresse donc aux patrons d’usage de drogue des détenus durant la réclusion. Sélectionnés au hasard, 317 répondants répartis à travers 10 pénitenciers canadiens furent rencontrés en entrevue afin de compléter un questionnaire auto-révélé. Les données indiquent des changements importants et de divers ordres, notamment en ce qui concerne les produits consommés, la fréquence d’usage, les motivations à consommer et la perception de leur état psychologique lors des périodes d’intoxication.

Notes

¹ In an effort to simplify the text, the expression PAS will be used throughout.

² Sentences of two years and more are administered by federal institutions while sentences of less than two years are administered by provincial institutions. In this study, inmates of federal institutions were subjects.

³ The main language spoken by the population of Quebec (a province of Canada) is French.

⁴Horn, Skinner, Wanberg & Foster (1984). Drug Addiction Research Foundation.

⁵Correctional Service of Canada, adapted from Skinner (1982).

⁶Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, 1990–1991.

⁷The French translation and adaptation of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI).

⁸Edgar, K., O’Donnel, I. (1998). Mandatory Drug Testing in Prison: The Relationship between MDT and the Level and Nature of Drug Misuse. Home Office Research Study 189. London: Home Office Research and Statistics Directorate.

⁹We did not explore tobacco use in this study.

¹⁰ However, it is important to recognize the possibility that respondents incarcerated in minimum-security institutions preferred to conceal their use due to fear of reprisal or the loss of certain privileges.

¹¹Given the degree of homogeneity in use profiles before and during incarceration, as well as the small number of inmates having used drugs other than cannabis within “the walls,” comparisons between institutions and security levels have little interest to offer. Furthermore, the high number of cells having a theoretical frequency of less than five units invalidates these analyses.

¹²This category includes various elements representing as many different answers amongst the participants. It also mainly reflects the period before incarceration.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chantal Plourde

Chantal Plourde obtained her Ph.D. in criminology from University of Montreal (2001) after a master's degree in social work at LAVAL University (1997). She also has worked as a clinician in a public alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation center since 1994. She has been a sessional lecturer since 1998 at the University of Montreal and teaches a course on the drug-crime relationship.

Serge Brochu

Serge Brochu obtained his Ph.D in clinical psychology from the University of Montreal in 1981. He practiced as a clinician in various penitentiaries and in an addiction treatment facility of Montreal. Since 1986, he has been a professor at the School of Criminology of University of Montreal and since 1996 the director of the International Center for Comparative Criminology of University of Montreal. His research themes are: drugs/crime, treatment of addict offenders, and program evaluation. He has published 56 papers in scientific journals, 4 books and 16 chapters of books.