Prison as a Modifier of Drug Using Behaviour

Abstract

This study was intended to investigate the nature and dynamics of drug using behaviour in Scottish prisons. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with a purposive sample of 234 prisoners in four major adult male prisons in Scotland. Of this sample, 73% had used cannabis during their current sentence, and 95% of these reported ongoing usage. There was little evidence to suggest that people started to inject in prison. Of this sample, 32% were injecting prior to imprisonment, and 11 % had done so during their current sentence. Of those who were injecting prior to imprisonment, 24% were sharing injecting equipment. Of those who were injecting in prison, 76% were sharing equipment. Factors most closely identified with current sharing of injecting equipment were: having injected a wider range of drugs in prison (during both current and previous sentences); frequency of Temgesic (Buprenorphine) use; being prescribed methadone in the community, then having that prescription discontinued on entry to prison. Drug use in prison should be addressed within a harm reduction framework, and reduction based prescribing of oral substitute drugs should be available to prisoners with drug problems. The basic aim of enabling people to minimise the harm which results from their drug use, thereby minimising the harm which results to society, can be applied within prisons.

Key Words:

• prisons
• drugs
• injecting
• AIDS/HIV