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| 'Payments' for prison cold turkey | 'Payments' for prison cold turkey |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Six prisoners and former inmates forced to stop taking drugs by going "cold turkey" are to receive payments, sources at the High Court have said. | |
| The out-of-court settlement followed claims the practice amounted to assault and their human rights were breached. | The out-of-court settlement followed claims the practice amounted to assault and their human rights were breached. |
| The claimants had been using heroin and other opiates. | The claimants had been using heroin and other opiates. |
| They were said to have been receiving alternative treatment before coming under the responsibility of the Prison Service in England and Wales. | They were said to have been receiving alternative treatment before coming under the responsibility of the Prison Service in England and Wales. |
| Shadow home secretary David Davis said a "disastrous" precedent could be set. | Shadow home secretary David Davis said a "disastrous" precedent could be set. |
| A Home Office spokeswoman said it was inappropriate to comment on the case while the litigation was still ongoing. | A Home Office spokeswoman said it was inappropriate to comment on the case while the litigation was still ongoing. |
| 'Sharp detoxification' | 'Sharp detoxification' |
| The proceedings focused on six test cases chosen from a total pool of 198 claimants. | The proceedings focused on six test cases chosen from a total pool of 198 claimants. |
| The claimants were bringing the action based on trespass, because they say they did not consent to the treatment, and for alleged clinical negligence. | The claimants were bringing the action based on trespass, because they say they did not consent to the treatment, and for alleged clinical negligence. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Being an ex-prisoner and a recovering addict, I have been in this situation a number of times Sam, Essex Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Being an ex-prisoner and a recovering addict, I have been in this situation a number of times Sam, Essex Send us your comments |
| Their barrister Richard Hermer told an earlier hearing in May: "Many of the prisoners were receiving methadone treatment before they entered prison and were upset at the short period of treatment using opiates they encountered in jail. | Their barrister Richard Hermer told an earlier hearing in May: "Many of the prisoners were receiving methadone treatment before they entered prison and were upset at the short period of treatment using opiates they encountered in jail. |
| "Imposing the short, sharp detoxification is the issue." | "Imposing the short, sharp detoxification is the issue." |
| Drug-related crime | Drug-related crime |
| Mr Davis suggested the government did not want to be "embarrassed by losing such a case under its own human rights legislation". | Mr Davis suggested the government did not want to be "embarrassed by losing such a case under its own human rights legislation". |
| "Drugs are a scourge on society and completely undermine all our other efforts to fight crime. By doing this Mr Reid would be letting down the taxpayer, the victims of these offenders and the drug addicts themselves," he added. | "Drugs are a scourge on society and completely undermine all our other efforts to fight crime. By doing this Mr Reid would be letting down the taxpayer, the victims of these offenders and the drug addicts themselves," he added. |
| Drug detoxification in prison is second-rate in standard and woefully short in its duration Mark Leech, Prisons Handbook | Drug detoxification in prison is second-rate in standard and woefully short in its duration Mark Leech, Prisons Handbook |
| Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said the case could see courts "pause for thought" before using jail terms as a way of making sure an offender receives treatment. | Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon said the case could see courts "pause for thought" before using jail terms as a way of making sure an offender receives treatment. |
| "Our overcrowded jails are awash with petty, persistent offenders who commit crime to feed their drug habit," she said. | "Our overcrowded jails are awash with petty, persistent offenders who commit crime to feed their drug habit," she said. |
| According to the editor of the Prisons Handbook, Mark Leech, two-thirds of crime is drug-related and Home Office research has shown that 643 drug addicts were responsible for well over 70,000 offences in one three-month period. | According to the editor of the Prisons Handbook, Mark Leech, two-thirds of crime is drug-related and Home Office research has shown that 643 drug addicts were responsible for well over 70,000 offences in one three-month period. |
| "Prisoners have the right to receive exactly the same type and standard of healthcare in prison as they would receive in the community," he said. | "Prisoners have the right to receive exactly the same type and standard of healthcare in prison as they would receive in the community," he said. |
| "Yet for the most part drug detoxification in prison is second-rate in standard and woefully short in its duration." | "Yet for the most part drug detoxification in prison is second-rate in standard and woefully short in its duration." |
| The charity Drugscope said the government had pledged £28m funding for a treatment programme for inmates this financial year but the budget was later reduced by 60%. | The charity Drugscope said the government had pledged £28m funding for a treatment programme for inmates this financial year but the budget was later reduced by 60%. |
| The Department of Health said it was spending £12m in the current financial year on the scheme and the level of funding would be maintained in 2007/08. | The Department of Health said it was spending £12m in the current financial year on the scheme and the level of funding would be maintained in 2007/08. |
| The programme, supplemented by the Home Office, aims to increase drug treatment for prisoners to allow them to fight their addiction before their release into the community, a spokeswoman said. | The programme, supplemented by the Home Office, aims to increase drug treatment for prisoners to allow them to fight their addiction before their release into the community, a spokeswoman said. |