ADDICTION TO DRUGS RIFE IN JAILS

PRISON authorities have expanded drug detection tests in Victorian
jails after discovering an increasing number of inmates abusing a
heroin addiction substitute.

The addition of the drug buprenorphine to Corrections Victoria's
drug-testing regime comes amid a separate review into the
administration of drug users in prisons, and new statistics that
reveal scores of prisoners remain drug-dependent while in Victorian prisons.

Buprenorphine is a semi-synthetic opiate introduced in Victoria in
the late 1990s as a treatment for heroin dependency in cases where
methadone was deemed inappropriate.

Corrections Victoria spokeswoman Christine Panayotou said trends had
"indicated an increase in (its) use by prisoners".

"Drug trends change and as such the testing regime must also change
to ensure effective deterrence and detection," she said.

The three-month trial of buprenorphine tests is expected to begin in
coming weeks.

Professor Nick Crofts, from Melbourne University's Nossal Institute,
said that although buprenorphine was a treatment drug, it also
offered users a "high", increasing its likelihood of being abused.

Corrections Victoria randomly tests about 50 prisoners each week for
a range of drugs.

Documents obtained by The Age under freedom of information laws
reveal that hundreds of Victorian prisoners are being convicted of
drug offences, despite being in custody.

Since January 2006, the number of inmates regarded as having the
most "entrenched drug behaviours" rose to as many as 93. These
prisoners are those found guilty of an offence such as trafficking
drugs into prison who then refuse to join drug-free incentive
programs. They are banned from contact visits with friends and
family for up to a year.

The documents also reveal that between January 2006 and March last
year, the number of prisoners convicted of cannabis-related offences
in prison was significantly lower than the number of prisoners
convicted of offences involving other drugs.

Corrections Commissioner Kelvin Anderson said the phenomenon was
linked to the abuse of prescribed medications.

"It's probably easier for a prisoner to try and do that than to try
and introduce the stuff into the prison system, and cannabis
obviously would have to come in from the outside," he said.

Mr Anderson confirmed that Corrections Victoria had recently held a
re-evaluation of its "Identified Drug User (IDU)" program for
handling inmates who are convicted of drug offences while behind bars.

He said the program would remain, but authorities were considering
whether it would be more effective if it were more easily understood
and accessible for prisoners, family members and corrections staff.

But Professor Crofts said Victorian prisons would never be free of
drugs. "Drugs are an issue in prison because of boredom and lack of
meaningful occupation. Until the prison system is reformed then you
are going to continue to have a demand for drugs," he said.