Drugs crisis inside prisons is ‘systemic failure of health provision’, MSPs warn
The drugs crisis inside Scotland’s prisons is a manifestation of systemic health system failure, a Holyrood committee has said.
The Criminal Justice Committee launched an inquiry into the issue last year, taking evidence from prison and health officials, with its final report released on Friday.
It said staff and those in custody are battling against severe overcrowding, inconsistent treatment, limited purposeful activity for inmates and an “evolving supply chain”, including the use of new synthetic drugs and drones which deliver substances to prisoners.
There must be a shift in mindset, the committee said, to tackle the problem, treating it as a public health issue rather than a justice one, with barriers between the two “dismantled”.
The report said: “The committee heard clear evidence that Scotland’s prisons are struggling with a combination of rising mental health and addiction needs, the rapidly changing ways drugs enter establishments, and significant gaps in clinical capacity, data, and co-ordination.
“Witnesses described a system in which substance-related harm is driven by unmet health needs, inconsistent treatment, limited purposeful activity, and an evolving supply chain involving synthetic drugs, mail contamination, and drones.
“The impact is felt across the whole prison environment – on people in custody, staff safety, families, and recovery outcomes.
“The committee considers the situation a systemic failure of health provision manifesting inside prisons, requiring a whole-system response across justice, health and community services.
“The committee concludes that meaningful change will depend on dismantling the institutional barriers that separate justice from health.
“A unified system of leadership and accountability is needed – one that embeds recovery principles in every aspect of prison life, from security and healthcare to purposeful activity, family connection and reintegration.”
Committee convener Audrey Nicoll – herself a former police officer – said more must be done to reduce overcrowding.
“Our inquiry illustrates clearly that substance misuse in Scotland’s prisons is not simply a justice issue, it is a public health one and can only be tackled effectively by being treated as such,” she said.
“The evidence we have gathered reveals a prison system and staff under extreme pressure, with issues such as under-resourced services and overcrowding exacerbating the myriad impacts of substance misuse in prisons.
“The goal is clear: to break the cycle of addiction and reoffending, and to protect lives.
“It’s clear more must be done to reduce pressure on the workforce and reduce overcrowding, and ensure adequate resourcing of services, particularly specialist staff – all of which are vital to tackle substance misuse in prisons.”
Ms Nicoll added these cannot be seen “in isolation” and must be tackled alongside “broader social determinants”.
The report, she added, “is not the endpoint of scrutiny” and should for the “foundation” for MSPs to push for progress on drug and alcohol harms in custody.
A Scottish Prison Service (SPS) survey in 2024 found 35% of respondents said they had used drugs while in custody, with more than a quarter saying their use had started or increased since being imprisoned.
The report is published in the months after a third prisoner early release scheme began in Scotland in the hopes of alleviating severe overcrowding, which has seen a record number of Scots behind bars.
A spokesman for the SPS said: “We are determined to do everything we can to support people in their recovery journey, and create better environments for everyone to live and work.
“This is at the heart of our alcohol and drug recovery strategy, published last year, which outlines how we aim to further support those in our care to better health and reduce the harm that substance use can cause to individuals, their families, and those around them.
“Working alongside partners we provide clinical detox programmes, access to Alcoholics Anonymous and other services while in custody, and Prison2Rehab pathways for people upon release.
“However, we also recognise the population pressures we continue to face restrict the amount of time our staff can spend supporting people in recovery, improving their life chances, reducing the risk of reoffending, and creating safer communities for all.”
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
Published: by Radio NewsHub