The Justice Select Committee has today published its report into 'Tackling the Drugs crisis in our prisons'
It’s a depressing read with many giving evidence to the Committee of the desperate state our prisons are in. The Chief Inspector of Prisons, the Government’s own independent advisor on drugs and treatment providers all agree there is a ‘drugs crisis’ in prisons, and there is a need for ‘urgent reform’.
Phoenix has worked in prisons for over 30 years, and over that time, we have developed our psychosocial approaches to treatment through innovation, research and working with others from around the world. In our evidence to the committee, we spoke about the need for a full range of specialist psychosocial interventions that are strategically commissioned and recognised for the life-changing impact they can have for people in prison.
Our frustration is that we have a wealth of experience and expertise that could improve treatment, but current commissioning arrangements and a lack of prioritisation prevent us from doing that.
We advise governments all over the world on how to create therapeutic communities in their prison estate yet the UK Government refuses to commission this valuable intensive support for prisoners. Other treatment charities have similar expertise that can bring radical improvement, but are frustrated from doing so by myopic bureaucratic commissioning approaches.
I'm pleased the Select Committee have understood the critical importance of effective psychosocial provision in prisons. 'A benefit of psychosocial interventions is their ability to address the foundational issues that drive drug dependency, particularly for a population characterised by high levels of trauma (including childhood abuse, violence, and neglect)’
And crucially, of the need to ensure the psychosocial treatment delivered 'is proportionate to the high clinical need and prevalence of complex trauma among the prison population.' And that they have agreed with our recommendation of the need for a change in the way treatment is commissioned to ensure specialist services are delivered effectively and consistently across the prison estate
We agree with Dame Carol Black that these services must be commissioned directly and separately from general healthcare contracts to ensure specialist focus and dedicated resources. The new model must require direct and active involvement from prison governors and relevant local authorities in the design, delivery and oversight of substance misuse services, ensuring they are user-centred, recovery-focused and align with community provision to ensure equivalence of care. (Recommendation, Paragraph 127)
The Government must listen to this latest report that reiterates what many have said for many years. ‘Without urgent reform that addresses both the profitable supply networks and the discrepancies in treatment provision, the prison estate will remain unstable, unsafe and incapable of gaining control over the drugs crisis'. Too many people go to prison, too many people cycle around the criminal justice system, too many people are victim of a lottery of healthcare that would enable them to live healthier, happier lives.
It won’t take more money, it just takes focus and prioritisation from Government and the rest you can leave to those who have the expertise to do it! And until we see that change, we will continue to do our best by the people who use our services, to deliver the best treatment we can within the constraints we have, to support our peer mentors in their valiant work and to continue to tackle stigma that pervades our criminal justice system.
You can read the report here.
