- Prisons White Paper tackles the illicit substances that
prevent rehabilitation
- New-build prisons to have airport-style security as standard
- All prisoners to be assessed for drug addiction to tackle
causes of crime
- New targets hold prisons to account for keeping drugs out and
offenders clean
A renewed drive to keep drugs out of prisons, tackle the scourge
of reoffending and cut crime will be unveiled today (7
December).
The Prisons Strategy White Paper will set out a comprehensive
plan to deliver modern jails with the right conditions
to reform and rehabilitate offenders – keeping the public
safe and building back safer.
New measures will clamp down on the flow of dangerous
substances behind bars that wreak havoc on prison
landings and scupper the work of frontline staff
in reforming offenders.
All new prisons will have ‘airport style’ security as standard,
including cutting-edge X-ray body scanners, biometric
identification for visitors and drug dogs and hand-held
wands at prison gates.
Ministers will also consider plans to use the scanners to search
staff who may be susceptible to corruption – stopping vulnerable
frontline officers from being blackmailed into bringing illegal
items into prisons.
Every prisoner will be assessed for drug and alcohol addiction on
arrival in custody and new stringent targets will hold governors
to account for keeping drugs out of their jails and getting
prisoners off them for good.
Prime Minister said:
“This Government is delivering tougher sentences and 20,000 more
prison places to keep the most dangerous criminals off our
streets for longer, but prisons also need to play their part in
cutting crime and preventing future victims.
“That is why with a zero tolerance approach to drugs and more
autonomy for governors to maintain good order, our reforms will
clamp down on the causes of reoffending and make sure prison
pays.”
Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and Lord
Chancellor, Dominic Raab said:
“We are building extra prison places so that serious offenders
will be incarcerated for longer.
“Our plan will improve the security of our jails to help cut off
the flow of drugs, knives and mobile phones, and allow effective
rehabilitation to take place.
“And the regime in prison will be re-oriented to end addiction
and build up skills, and access to work – so offenders go
straight into work on release.
“This is how we will cut the crime and keep the public safe.”
Prisons will be given individual targets on the number
of drug tests to be carried out. For the first time, they
will also be held to account on drug rehabilitation
and their success in moving prisoners towards meaningful
recovery.
Results will be published in national league tables – shining a
spotlight on how well prisons get offenders off drugs and alcohol
and into education and employment on release.
A range of treatment options, including abstinence therapy,
will get prisoners out of the debilitating addictions known
to fuel crime, helping to reduce over-reliance
on opiate substitutes like methadone which can be highly
addictive.
Today’s news builds upon the Government’s unprecedented £100m
investment to bolster prison security by clamping down on the
weapons, drugs and phones that fuel violence, self-harm and crime
behind bars.
Funding has been used to install cutting-edge X-ray body
scanners at every single closed male prison, allowing staff to
instantly identify whether prisoners are smuggling illegal
contraband within their bodies.
Since summer 2020, the scanners have thwarted over 10,000
attempts to get drugs, phones and weapons onto prison landings
and into the hands of gangs.
Notes to Editors
- Read more about the Government’s £100m security investment
here
