The Tasmania Prison Service (TPS) will establish a secure residential alcohol and drug treatment unit in the Risdon Prison Complex to tackle addiction among inmates.
Today in Budget Estimates I announced that TPS management has approved the establishment of the new unit, which will be operational in July 2015.
The Alcohol and Drug Treatment Unit will offer a 12 week live-in program which will address the biological, psychological and social triggers of an individual’s addictive behaviour to help address drug and alcohol use in the prison. The program will be based in the newly completed Apsley unit.
TPS has established a Drug Strategy Unit and is now in the process of refining a drug policy which will further enhance the strategies already in place to reduce the supply of illicit drugs in prison, and help prisoners overcome addictions.
They will also soon recruit two specialist drug and alcohol counsellors to work within the general prison community in support of the work being done by the Intervention Programs team.
Reducing the supply of drugs in prisons is a major part of tackling drug use and addiction amongst prisoners.
A Security Committee has been established within the TPS to investigate, amongst other security-related issues, the trafficking of drugs and other contraband within the prison system.
The TPS recently purchased an itemiser trace detector and passive alcohol sensor torches to assist with the detection of narcotic and alcohol substances, as well as cameras for monitoring the administration of Schedule 8 medications.
Vanessa Goodwin, Minister for Corrections
