Bosses at prison where lag was left fighting for life give inmates guide on how to take drugs ‘safely’
Prisoners are being given an advice leaflet amid fears that substance abuse is out of control in jails across the UK - where inmates have already died
PRISONERS are getting advice on how to take drugs safely amid fears that substance abuse is out of control in jails.
Inmates have an 11-point checklist for “psychoactive substances” such as recently outlawed synthetic cannabis Spice
It says “start with a really small amount” and “if you snort, chop powders finely”.
The lags are also told “don’t use alone”.
While it says it is best to not take substances at all, it goes on to explain a range of ways to do so.
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The leaflet in Category B Forest Bank, Salford, was revealed by an ex-lag who exposed poor security.
He said he saw drones fly up to cell windows, before inmates “kicked the windows out and lifted the drugs into the cell”.
Two weeks ago an inmate was found dead at HMP Forest Bank after taking Spice.
Recent inspections of the Sodexo-run jail found drugs were “easily available” and fuelling violence among its 1,500 inmates.
Peter Dawson, of the Prison Reform Trust charity, said: “This type of advice may save lives. Prisons have to deal with the world as it is, not as people want it to be.”
“However the reality is drugs are an issue in prisons and we have a duty of care to our prisoners.
Therefore, we provide advice and support to reduce levels of harm in the prison.”
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Time added on to prisoners’ sentences for attacking each other more than doubles in five years
OFFICERS' EXODUS
FRONTLINE prison officer numbers fell by more than 300 last year as jails battle a safety crisis.
At the end of December there were 17,888 personnel in key roles in public sector prisons in England and Wales, a fall of 347 year on year, according to Ministry of Justice statistics.
The figures relate to staff at the level of officers, specialists, supervising officers and custodial managers.
An MoJ spokeswoman said: “We’ve taken immediate action with 389 job offers now made.”