Detection of drugs in Australian prisons: supply reduction strategies

International Journal of Prisoner Health
Kate Dolan, Ana Rodas

Abstract

Prisoners have a high level of drug use prior to imprisonment. Many inmates report having injected drugs and using cannabis. Prison authorities employed a range of strategies to detect drugs and drug use in prison. However, it was unclear which supply reduction strategies operated, and the prevalence and types of drugs detected in Australian prisons. The purpose of this paper is to examine supply reduction strategies in Australian prisons. Information on searches for drugs, and from inmate urinalysis was collected. The study focussed on adults in fulltime custody in Australia in 2009. A representative of all corrective services departments and justice health services was asked to complete a questionnaire on supply reduction strategies, including searches for drugs and drug testing of inmates. The two main supply reduction strategies identified in all Australian prisons were the use of drug detection dogs and urinalysis programs. Despite an extensive use of drug searches and urinalysis, the detection of drugs was modest for both strategies. The most commonly used drug was cannabis with the detection of drugs such as amphetamines and heroin being very low. Prison inmates have a history of high levels of drug use prior to imprison...Continue Reading

References

Oct 26, 1996·Lancet·S M Gore, A G Bird
Sep 17, 2004·Drug and Alcohol Review·Kate DolanJo Kimber

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Citations

Mar 8, 2016·Drug and Alcohol Review·Raimondo BrunoJeremy Prichard
Mar 3, 2015·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Kate DolanFabienne Hariga
Oct 30, 2018·The Open AIDS Journal·Raheleh GolrokhiFabrício Azevedo Voltarelli

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