Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jun 2001
Source: Press, The (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2001 The Christchurch Press Company Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.press.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/349
Author: Sean Scanlon

ALMOST 30% IN JAIL TEST DRUG-POSITIVE

Nearly a third of prison inmates tested for drug use last year 
returned a positive result.

Figures obtained from the Corrections Department, under the Official 
Information Act, show of the 9838 drug tests done on inmates last 
year, 2876 tested positive -- a strike-rate of 29 per cent.

That was a decrease from the previous year when 34.5 per cent, or 
3241 inmates, tested positive.

The Press understands the department has set itself the goal of 
getting the rate below 20 per cent.

Canterbury prisons tested 2295 inmates last year, the highest number 
in the country, but the rate of positive tests was only 18 per cent.

In total, North Island prisons did at least 5000 more tests than 
South Island prisons.

Mount Eden had the highest rate of positive tests at 44 per cent.

The drug used most commonly by inmates was cannabis, with 2780 cases. 
The next closest was heroin, with 70 cases.

Over all, the Corrections Department spent $2.75 million on drug 
testing, drug prevention, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation 
programmes for inmates last year.

Corrections Minister Matt Robson said the figures showed initiatives 
aimed at stopping drug use in prisons were working. "The trend is 
down, so we will keep going," he said.

Eighty-three per cent of inmates had a substance abuse problem when 
they entered prisons, so the Corrections Department spending was 
justified.

Mr Robson said prisons such as Mount Eden had a particularly high 
positive test rate because they were used for remand prisoners.

Corrections Association national organiser Brian Davies said it was 
"bollocks" to suggest that a 5 per cent drop meant drug programmes 
were working.

"It's a fairly high strike rate and I don't think they are doing 
anywhere enough to bring it down," he said.

The department's recent legal battle against two staff members, which 
cost $500,000, showed that it had the wrong spending priorities.

"Until such time that they beef up security to a level where people 
on the street cannot throw tennis balls into prison recreational 
areas, they will be on a hiding to nothing," Mr Davies said.

South Island Prisons regional manager Paul Monk said figures for this 
year suggested the rate of positive drug tests could be 22 per cent 
nationwide. The South Island generally had a lower rate than North 
Island prisons.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe