Members of Parliament have issued a stern warning about the prevalent drug issues in prisons, emphasizing the urgent need to dismantle the culture of acceptance surrounding the high levels of drug activity endangering lives.
The Justice Committee highlighted that 39% of inmates have easy access to drugs, leading to significant challenges for the HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) in maintaining order and facilitating prisoner rehabilitation.
A recent report revealed the disturbing human toll of the crisis, with 16% of 833 investigated deaths between December 2022 and 2024 attributed to drugs, according to the prisons ombudsman.
Findings from the cross-party Committee indicated that 11% of male and 19% of female prisoners admitted to developing substance abuse issues post-incarceration, with a notable surge in the use of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) posing a significant risk due to their affordability and potency.
The report urged the Minister of Justice (MOJ) and HMPPS to promptly update drug testing protocols in prisons and conduct a thorough review of medication dispensing procedures to address potential loopholes.
During the investigation of 833 deaths within the same timeframe, 136 were linked to drug-related causes, prompting the Committee to call for an increase in Mandatory Drug Testing rates and the swift implementation of wastewater-based surveillance to detect new substances.
Concerns were also raised about the escalating use of drones to smuggle not only drugs and mobile phones but also weapons, with a 77% rise in drone sightings around prisons recorded between 2019 and 2023.
Labour MP Andy Slaughter, Chair of the Justice Committee, emphasized the urgent need to address the “endemic” drug crisis in prisons, stressing the imperative of breaking the culture of acceptance that perpetuates the issue.
Slaughter highlighted the detrimental impact of illicit drug trade on safety, control, and rehabilitation efforts within prisons, emphasizing the pressing need to combat criminal supply networks and the growing threat of drone technology.
The pervasive use of highly potent New Psychoactive Substances was identified as a key driver of violence, debt, and fatal overdoses, underscoring the inadequacy of current testing methods. Without significant reform and investment to tackle supply networks, treatment disparities, and facility conditions, prisons will continue to struggle with instability, unsafety, and an inability to address the drug crisis effectively.
The Department of Justice has been contacted for comment.
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