This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/magazine/7340533.stm
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Why can't we stop drugs getting into prisons? | Why can't we stop drugs getting into prisons? |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| By Simon Cox | By Simon Cox |
| About half of inmates are thought to have a habit | About half of inmates are thought to have a habit |
| Prisons are among the most secure places in the country, yet they are awash with illegal drugs. So how are they getting in? | Prisons are among the most secure places in the country, yet they are awash with illegal drugs. So how are they getting in? |
| You don't have to be a genius to get drugs into Forest Bank prison. You just need a long throw. | You don't have to be a genius to get drugs into Forest Bank prison. You just need a long throw. |
| "That's mainly where the drugs parcels get thrown over the wall", says Steve. He should know, he has been a frequent visitor to the jail, mainly for drugs offences. | "That's mainly where the drugs parcels get thrown over the wall", says Steve. He should know, he has been a frequent visitor to the jail, mainly for drugs offences. |
| "You'd have somebody on the wing looking at the Astroturf," he says, explaining how a "drop" is co-ordinated. "When someone gets on the Astroturf they ring [the person doing the drop] on their mobile phone⦠and say right throw it over now." | "You'd have somebody on the wing looking at the Astroturf," he says, explaining how a "drop" is co-ordinated. "When someone gets on the Astroturf they ring [the person doing the drop] on their mobile phone⦠and say right throw it over now." |
| Forest Bank, in Manchester, has a major drugs problem. According to official statistics, 10% of the total prison drug finds in England and Wales come from this one jail. | Forest Bank, in Manchester, has a major drugs problem. According to official statistics, 10% of the total prison drug finds in England and Wales come from this one jail. |
| The jail has recently put up a net to stop packages being thrown over but, Steve says, there are plenty of other ways to smuggle drugs inside. Mobile phones - themselves banned - are an integral part of this trade. Steve recalls, from his time inside, going on an errand for an inmate who was also a dealer. | The jail has recently put up a net to stop packages being thrown over but, Steve says, there are plenty of other ways to smuggle drugs inside. Mobile phones - themselves banned - are an integral part of this trade. Steve recalls, from his time inside, going on an errand for an inmate who was also a dealer. |
| FIND OUT MORE... The Investigation is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 2000 BST on 10 AprilOr catch up later, on the BBC iPlayer How drugs fuel violence in prison | FIND OUT MORE... The Investigation is broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 2000 BST on 10 AprilOr catch up later, on the BBC iPlayer How drugs fuel violence in prison |
| It meant meeting a woman in the visitors' room, who Steve had never seen before. | It meant meeting a woman in the visitors' room, who Steve had never seen before. |
| "Just before the visit [the dealer] has gone this is who you're seeing and I'll just take a picture of you and send it to her so she knows who she is seeing." | "Just before the visit [the dealer] has gone this is who you're seeing and I'll just take a picture of you and send it to her so she knows who she is seeing." |
| It's stories like Steve's that fuel the perception that our prisons are awash with drugs. But given the tight security measures, why can't we stop drugs getting into prisons in the first places? | It's stories like Steve's that fuel the perception that our prisons are awash with drugs. But given the tight security measures, why can't we stop drugs getting into prisons in the first places? |
| Part of the problem is the Prison Service doesn't know exactly how big the drugs market is, says Huseyin Djemil a former head of drug treatment policy for the National Offender Management Service, which oversees prisons and the probation service. | Part of the problem is the Prison Service doesn't know exactly how big the drugs market is, says Huseyin Djemil a former head of drug treatment policy for the National Offender Management Service, which oversees prisons and the probation service. |
| Mr Djemil has made his own calculation of the market. He estimates there are 40,000 problem users in prison at any one time - that's about one in two of all inmates in England and Wales. | Mr Djemil has made his own calculation of the market. He estimates there are 40,000 problem users in prison at any one time - that's about one in two of all inmates in England and Wales. |
| £100m trade | £100m trade |
| On that estimate, he draws up a worst-case scenario. "You're looking at 20 kilos [of drugs, mostly heroin] a week to supply the national market" says Mr Djemil. Annually that works out to over a thousand kilos of heroin, which would mean around a £100m pounds worth of drugs are being traded behind prison walls. | On that estimate, he draws up a worst-case scenario. "You're looking at 20 kilos [of drugs, mostly heroin] a week to supply the national market" says Mr Djemil. Annually that works out to over a thousand kilos of heroin, which would mean around a £100m pounds worth of drugs are being traded behind prison walls. |
| Many are pointing the finger at prison guards | Many are pointing the finger at prison guards |
| Bringing in such huge quantities makes it potentially lucrative for the smuggler. If the prison service wants to get a better handle on the drugs trade, Lord Ramsbotham, the former chief inspector of prisons says it has to tackle the most controversial supply route - staff involvement. | Bringing in such huge quantities makes it potentially lucrative for the smuggler. If the prison service wants to get a better handle on the drugs trade, Lord Ramsbotham, the former chief inspector of prisons says it has to tackle the most controversial supply route - staff involvement. |
| "Without the staff these things couldn't get in... I'm not saying the staff are the people who bring most of it in, but I suspect there are people who don't notice deliberately, including for money." | "Without the staff these things couldn't get in... I'm not saying the staff are the people who bring most of it in, but I suspect there are people who don't notice deliberately, including for money." |
| We spoke to people across the prisons establishment who share his concern. One former governor says although the popular perception is that most drugs are coming in through visits there was "more going in by staff than any other way". | We spoke to people across the prisons establishment who share his concern. One former governor says although the popular perception is that most drugs are coming in through visits there was "more going in by staff than any other way". |
| Prison service employees are prevented from talking to the media but several warders were willing to break the rules. One officer at a jail in southern England says he assumed most of the drugs were coming in through a handful of corrupt staff. | Prison service employees are prevented from talking to the media but several warders were willing to break the rules. One officer at a jail in southern England says he assumed most of the drugs were coming in through a handful of corrupt staff. |
| "Some of it they do it for the money so they deliberately make it known that they will do 'jobs'. Others they're young, easily manipulated if you like, and it starts with something simple like, 'could you get me a watch battery'... and it just spirals from there". | "Some of it they do it for the money so they deliberately make it known that they will do 'jobs'. Others they're young, easily manipulated if you like, and it starts with something simple like, 'could you get me a watch battery'... and it just spirals from there". |
| Some are caught | Some are caught |
| In 2006 HM Prison Service and the police tried to estimate the number of corrupt prison staff. A report leaked to the BBC estimated there were at least 1,000 corrupt officers, some of whom were involved in smuggling drugs and phones into jails. | |
| A sniffer dog helps search the gym in Risley Women's prison | A sniffer dog helps search the gym in Risley Women's prison |
| Conservative MP Henry Bellingham, who's part of the shadow justice team, has his own, alarming, estimate for the amount of drugs being brought in by staff. | Conservative MP Henry Bellingham, who's part of the shadow justice team, has his own, alarming, estimate for the amount of drugs being brought in by staff. |
| "I'd argue that 80% is coming in on members of staff," he says. There are "quite a few prisons where it's impossible to get it in over the wall and I don't accept great numbers are on visitors, so you're left with staff." | "I'd argue that 80% is coming in on members of staff," he says. There are "quite a few prisons where it's impossible to get it in over the wall and I don't accept great numbers are on visitors, so you're left with staff." |
| Now and again, though, warders are caught. Last week Adam Seamark, a prison officer at Woodhill top security prison was jailed for five years for smuggling heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis into the jail on five separate occasions. | Now and again, though, warders are caught. Last week Adam Seamark, a prison officer at Woodhill top security prison was jailed for five years for smuggling heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis into the jail on five separate occasions. |
| The police officer in charge of the case, Det Sgt Ian Jarvis, says each package probably contained around £1,000 worth of drugs "could be worth anywhere up to £8,000 or £9,000 in prison." | The police officer in charge of the case, Det Sgt Ian Jarvis, says each package probably contained around £1,000 worth of drugs "could be worth anywhere up to £8,000 or £9,000 in prison." |
| Earlier this year the government appointed a former senior police officer, David Blakey, to conduct an inquiry into disrupting the supply of drugs into prison. He is due to report at the end of May. | Earlier this year the government appointed a former senior police officer, David Blakey, to conduct an inquiry into disrupting the supply of drugs into prison. He is due to report at the end of May. |
| Mr Djemil says unless the service tackles staff involvement in the drugs trade, it won't make major inroads into the prison drugs market. | Mr Djemil says unless the service tackles staff involvement in the drugs trade, it won't make major inroads into the prison drugs market. |
| "I think it's shying away from that final step, a bit like the [Metropolitan Police] did. The Met wanted to confront corruption and they had to go to extraordinary lengths to do it and I think the prison service at that cross roads." | "I think it's shying away from that final step, a bit like the [Metropolitan Police] did. The Met wanted to confront corruption and they had to go to extraordinary lengths to do it and I think the prison service at that cross roads." |
| HM Prison Service is spending £70m a year treating drug addicts and prisons minister David Hanson says the government is committed to rooting out corrupt officers and has introduced new tough penalties. | HM Prison Service is spending £70m a year treating drug addicts and prisons minister David Hanson says the government is committed to rooting out corrupt officers and has introduced new tough penalties. |
| "The vast majority of staff in my view are also committed to that task because they recognise their professional integrity is challenged by that failure of that small number of staff." | "The vast majority of staff in my view are also committed to that task because they recognise their professional integrity is challenged by that failure of that small number of staff." |
| Add your comments on this story, using the form below. | Add your comments on this story, using the form below. |