PRISONS OFFERING DRUGS TO INMATES

PRISONERS in Scotland's jails are being offered a heroin substitute to wean
themselves back on to drugs shortly before they are released into the
community, The Scotsman can reveal.

Inmates with a history of drug addiction prior to their sentences are being
offered methadone in jail if they tell prison doctors they are likely to
return to heroin use as soon as they are released.

The Scottish Prison Service has introduced the controversial pilot scheme,
called the Retox Programme, to help to prevent the growing number of
released prisoners overdosing on heroin while on parole.

Outraged MSPs claimed yesterday that the highly unorthodox move effectively
means the Scottish Executive has run up the white flag in their battle to
rehabilitate Scotland's drug-using prisoners.

It is understood that the scheme, which has been in existence for the past
three months, has been introduced in every Scottish prison and is tailored
to suit the needs of individual prisoners.

A spokeswoman for the SPS confirmed that the programme was still in its
infancy, but was a radical step in the right direction.

She said: "There are issues surrounding prisoners overdosing when they are
released, so in certain circumstances we are offering them a Retox
Programme where they can take methadone if they are likely to re-abuse when
their sentence is up.

"The programme is not specific to any particular prisons. In order for a
prisoner to be allowed on to the programme the individual's circumstances
must be thoroughly assessed and if deemed appropriate the retox programme
can be offered to them before they leave jail."

She added: "This is still a relatively new programme and it is still in its
infancy so we can't measure its success for a while.

"What we do know is that 85 per cent of people received in Scottish prisons
test positive for drugs, and prisoners are continuing to overdose when they
are released.

"We realise that combating drugs is a very difficult thing to do and we
have to take a radical and realistic approach to this issue."

Under the scheme, prisoners thought likely to take drugs upon their release
are assessed by psychologists and drug counsellors. If it is determined
that there is a strong possibility they will return to drugs, the inmates
are offered a place on the retox programme.

Lord James Douglas Hamilton, Tory justice spokesman, expressed his
disbelief at the decision, claiming the programme was sending out the
completely wrong message.

He said: "The message we give is hardline and we firmly believe that drug
users, whether prisoners or not, should be weaned off their addiction with
all possible speed. Jim Wallace appears to have hoisted the white flag here
instead of giving a strong and unequivocal message to potential drug
addicts which should be simply 'don't take drugs.'

"There has been a prolonged debate on this, but this the wrong emphasis.
The Scottish Prison Service should be taking a much tougher line and
adopting our own policy of zero tolerance."

He added: "Jim Wallace should be concentrating on rehabilitation rather
than giving in to drug addiction. We've always said that hard drugs destroy
communities, disrupt lives and cause widespread misery and sorrow within
families. "Weaning drug users who have ended up in jail because of their
addiction only means the problem will come back to haunt us again and again."

Roseanna Cunningham, SNP Justice spokeswoman, also condemned the move. She
said: "This is an astonishing development and it has a huge element of
defeatism attached to it. When it comes to drugs we shouldn't allow
ourselves to be defeated on any level. I find it incredibly difficult to
imagine that the public would find this appropriate. There is certainly a
problem when prisoners with drug problems are released back into society,
and overdoses are a serious issue.

"But instead of issuing prisoners with drugs, surely our resources should
be going into follow-up care so that when inmates are released they are not
abandoned.

"This seems to be an admission that the existing rehabilitation programmes
within our prisons just aren't working."

But Scotland Against Drugs spokesman Alistair Ramsay said the system,
although controversial, should be given a fair chance. He said: "I'm sure
the public will react very badly to this, but it's got to be seen as part
of the bigger picture.

"The dilemma the prison service has is that people leaving prison often
overdose and die because they have lost their tolerance to their drug of
choice.

"We are entering a period in Scotland where we will need to be innovative
when grappling with the reality that drugs bring to our communities."