Two of the major challenges facing the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) today are preventing drugs getting into prisons and managing prisoners with drug problems. Drug problems are highly common in prisons with 56% testing positive for illicit drug use, including illicit use of prescribed drugs, on admission to custody. Further information on drug misuse statistics for the Scottish Prison Service is published within Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland.
Benzodiazepines, opiates and canabis continue to be the main drugs of choice for prisoners within the SPS. There is clear evidence to indicate that illegal drugs entering the prison estate are used for personal use, and as a currency to further bullying, intimidation and criminal activities within the prisoner population.
In the last year, there were over 1,900 drug finds in prison. Once in prison, reported drug use falls to 22%, however 3% continue to inject whilst in custody with 71% sharing illegal injecting equipment. One in five of prisoners (21.5%) are prescribed methadone with 23% reporting being on a reducing dose.
The Prison Service is focused on the delivery of the nine offender outcomes which are set out in the National Strategy for the Management of Offenders - Reducing Re-offending 2006 and include an outcome of 'reduced or stabilised substance misuse'. To meet this outcome SPS has recently published its Substance Misuse Strategy.
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