Blitz on drugs in prison underway

The ground-breaking ‘Drug Recovery Prison’ (DRP) pilot at HMP Holme House, in County Durham, adopts a wide-ranging approach and is jointly funded by the Ministry of Justice and NHS England. It involves tightening security to stop drugs entering the prison in the first place, while helping offenders break their habit of substance abuse.

The increased security has seen investment in new drug detection equipment, including scanners and extra sniffer dogs, while specialist healthcare teams have been drafted in to help prisoners kick their habit.

The pilot which began in April 2017 is already showing progress – with a rise in drug seizures in the prison and an increase in the number of offenders in education and work.

Justice Secretary David Gauke said:

Drugs fuel a cycle of violence and self-harm and prevent offenders from starting the process of rehabilitation that can ultimately lead to employment and a life free from crime.

To break that cycle we need an innovative approach, and that’s what this pilot offers – not only stopping drugs getting into prison but helping offenders break the habit for good.

We do not underestimate the scale of the task, but our aim is to make prisons places of safety, security and decency where offenders have a genuine chance to turn their lives around.