Action for Prisoners’ Families: Prisoners’ families being unjustly targeted in war on drugs in prison

Commenting today on the Government’s response to a parliamentary question about drugs being smuggled into prison (House of Commons, question 178358, 21/1/08) Lucy Gampell, Director of Action for Prisoners’ Families, said: ‘The figures just released to Parliament blow a hole in the Government’s assertion that most drugs come in to prison through prison visits. Family contact and visits are vital to supporting prisoners and reducing re-offending. Surely it is now time to review the over-bearing security and restrictions on movement during prison visits that are deterring so many families from visiting”.

The number of incidents where visitors are found to be in possession of drugs has decreased significantly in the last five years. Over the whole of the prison estate the number of drug related incidents involving visitors has declined from 831 in 2002-03 to 680 in 2006-07.

Looked at overall, the proportion of drugs smuggled into prison by visitors (including children) is very small. The 680 cases of visitors found to have drugs in 2006-7 compare to a total number of attempted smuggling incidents of 3,488 (which include prison staff, prisoners and other means of entry such as throwing substances over prison walls and sending them by post). This amounts to under a fifth of detected drugs being due to visitors.

More drugs are thrown into prisons, over the perimeter fences (753 incidents in 2006-07), than are brought in by visitors but surprisingly the number of staff related incidents are not recorded.

Invasive searches and the presence of drugs dogs can be frightening and humiliating, especially for children. Action for Prisoners’ Families believes these figures vindicate families and clearly show that the Prison Service needs to focus more attention on staff and other means of entry and stop using families as scapegoats.

Notes for Editors:
Action for Prisoners' Families is the national organisation representing the needs of prisoners' families

Together with CLINKS, the Prison Advice & Care Trust and the Prison Reform Trust, Action for Prisoners’ Families have unveiled a joint Agenda for Action, calling on the government to reduce re-offending by providing more support for the children and families of prisoners. Part of the Agenda is a request that the Government review the practice of restricting movement during social visits, to ensure that adequate opportunity is provided for prisoners to interact with their children, commensurate with safety and security.

For more information please visit www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk