NCJ Number
116762
Journal
Justice Report Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1989) Pages: 5-7
Date Published
1989
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Drug abuse is a critical problem among inmates in Canada's Federal penitentiaries.
Abstract
Research indicates that over 70 percent of inmates have a drug abuse problem, 79 percent of offenders admit to having used drugs or alcohol on the day they committed their offense, and 17 percent of inmates have a history of convictions for drug possession and/or trafficking. During 1985-1986, there were 320 interceptions of drug and drug-related items entering Federal institutions. Because of their relative scarcity in institutions, drugs acquire a value in excess of their real worth, and it is not unheard of for inmates to murder each other over a mere ounce of a drug. Drugs create additional violence in a setting that already is a hotbed of violence and under conditions are conducive to aggression even among those without histories of violence. To obtain even miniscule quantities of drugs, inmates will assault, maim, and kill. In 1985-1986, of 181 major violent incidents, 106 were drug-related. Among these incidents were 6 inmate murders, 54 major assaults on inmates, 15 major assaults on staff, 26 major disturbances, 2 hostage takings, and 3 suicides. Apart from the direct effects of drugs on the users, their supply results in the coercion of those possessing legal or illicit drugs, contributes to fear of reprisals, results in a need for protective custody, and requires additional resources for their detection and control. Initiatives to ameliorate these problems include development of inmate drug education materials, evaluation of drug treatments, comprehensive staff training, and development of a prerelease drug information program.