Exploring prison drug use in the context of prison-based drug rehabilitation

Abstract

Aims: The research on motivations and meanings associated with drug use in prisons has received little scholarly attention. Particularly, there are few studies analysing drug use in prisons from the perspective of both prisoners and prison officers, and in the context of prisonbased drug rehabilitation. This article explores prisoners and prison staffs perceptions on why drug use occurs in prison. Methods: The data is derived from participant observation and qualitative interviews (N ¼ 35) conducted during eight months of ethnographic fieldwork in two drug rehabilitation programmes in a closed Norwegian prison. Findings: Prison staff emphasises drug addiction and prisoners troubled life trajectories when explaining in-prison drug use. Prisoners, on the other hand, explain that drug use can be (a) a way to alleviate some of the pains of imprisonment; (b) an integral part of social life in prison; (c) a route to status in the prisoner community and (d) a defiant way to subvert institutional rules and expectations. Conclusions: Prison staff tends to privilege pre-prison characteristics when explaining prisoners' drug use, whereas prisoners tend to privilege how the prison context motivates and give meaning to their drug use. Implications for penal policy and practice are discussed.

Drugs in prisons: Exploring use, control, treatment and policy

“…by being able to bring drugs into prisons, making connections to outside drug and criminal networks, and displaying courage) and the feeling among prisoners that they are part of a larger social network. This is also in line with Mjåland's (2016) findings in this Issue. Similarly, he found that prisoners who distributed and also shared drugs could earn respect.…”

Behind Bars: The Truth about Drugs in Prisons

“…As such, they would need to adapt, often meaning that inmates would have to hide drugs within body cavities. One inmate reported that it was no secret that everyone brought drugs into prison using the plug approach [6,21,27]. In January 2015, custody staff found 20 ecstasy tablets in the waistband of tracksuit bottoms, bags of cannabis sewn into the lining of underwear and in the trainers of a man convicted with firearms offences [15].…”

“…When locked in their cells, inmates create makeshift ropes known as 'lines' to pass drugs between cell windows [16]. Prisoners also divert legally prescribed medication, they sip the medication in front of the nurse and will later spit it out into a cup to give or sell to other inmates [16,27].…”

Ny fangebehandling i norske fengsler?

“…Resultatene viste at det var en sterk norm blant innsatte om å holde rusbruk skjult for ansatte både på Venterommet og Slusa, noe som samsvarer med funn i andre fengselsstudier (Mjåland 2016). Innsatte ved Kollektivet oppga derimot at de tok opp og diskuterte rusbruk under oppholdet i gruppene.…”