A committee of Members of Parliament has issued a warning about the pervasive drug problem in prisons, emphasizing the need to break the culture of acceptance surrounding the issue. According to the Justice Committee, 39% of inmates have easy access to drugs, severely impacting the ability of HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) to maintain order and aid in offender rehabilitation.
The committee’s report highlighted the alarming human cost of the crisis, with 16% of deaths investigated between December 2022 and 2024 being attributed to drug use. Furthermore, a significant number of prisoners, 11% of men and 19% of women, reported developing substance abuse issues since being incarcerated, with a notable increase in the use of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) posing a dangerous threat due to their affordability and potency.
To address the situation, the report urged the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and HMPPS to urgently enhance drug testing procedures in prisons and conduct a thorough review of medication dispensing protocols to prevent loopholes. The committee also called for an increase in Mandatory Drug Testing rates and the implementation of wastewater-based surveillance to detect new substances.
Concerns were also raised about the use of drones to smuggle contraband into prisons, including drugs, mobile phones, weapons, and potentially explosives. Notably, there has been a 77% rise in drone sightings around prisons between 2019 and 2023.
Andy Slaughter MP, Chair of the Justice Committee, underscored the severity of the situation, emphasizing the need to address the endemic levels of drug trafficking and use within the prison system. Failure to combat the supply of drugs by criminal organizations, reduce the demand for drugs, and tackle the proliferation of drone technology could lead to continued instability, safety risks, and an inability to control the drugs crisis in prisons.
The Justice Department has been contacted for comment.