Prisons and drugs

I went to prison on Monday. No I have not become embroiled in the cash for peerages scandal or some other misdemeanour, but was a visitor to HMP Pentonville and HMP Holloway. These prisons are where most of the criminals are sent to when imprisoned for crimes committed in Enfield. I am conducting a national policy review looking at how prisons deal with 70% of prisoners who are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. In the past prisoners have finished their sentences and all too often return to our community more addicted to drugs.

The new managers of treatment services in Enfield, CNWL, also run the substance misuse units at our two local prisons and have brought about significant improvements, particularly at HMP Holloway. Prisons can only do so much in terms of rehabilitation from addictions and primarily provide protection for society from violent criminals. We need to find better ways to rehabilitate the addicts who are often serving short terms of imprisonment. It does not make sense that at a time when our prisons are full; nearly half the residential drug rehabilitation beds are unoccupied. We need to fill up and expand residential rehabilitation places.

It serves no ones interests for many of these addicts to be going in and out of the revolving door of Pentonville repeatedly committing crime on our streets. It is also unacceptable that so many drugs are available in prison. It is common practice at Pentonville for drugs to be thrown over the walls and also to be passed on by visitors. Increased use of drugs testing and preventing the supply of drugs by bringing sniffer dogs onto the healthcare units is though making a difference at Holloway.

I was pleased to leave prison in the afternoon and am resolved to seek improvement in the chances of rehabilitation from addiction for prisoners when they are releases which must be in all our interests.