Pubdate: Mon, 17 Dec 2007
Source: Herald Sun (Australia)
Copyright: 2007 Herald and Weekly Times
Contact:  http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/187
Author: Andrew Fraser
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?143 (Hepatitis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?163 (HIV/AIDS)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

GETTING TO THE POINT IN PRISONS

IT was pleasing to read that the Brumby Government is  to take the 
sensible step of introducing condoms into  Victorian prisons, writes 
Andrew Fraser.

But at the same time a golden opportunity to finally  address the 
issue of drugs in prison by introducing a  clean needle program for 
drug users has been lost.

While condoms are necessary, their impact on the spread  of hepatitis 
and HIV within the prison system will be  minimal.

The thorny issue of drug use in jail is the elephant in  the room 
that everyone ignores.

Homosexuality is common in jails but drug use is rife,  the system is 
awash with drugs and disease is most  commonly spread by prisoners 
sharing putrid, blunt, old  needles.

Don't worry about drugs and the cost of them in jail.

The big-ticket item for a drug-using prisoner is a new  fit (needle) 
and something a friend or wife picks up on  the outside for free then 
costs in the vicinity of $100  in jail, if they are are "lucky" 
enough to get their  hands on one.

The cold, hard fact is that, like it or not, drugs run  the prison 
system and until everybody, especially the  Office of Corrections, 
comes to terms with this then no  progress will ever be made.

I am not for one minute suggesting openly allowing  drugs in prison, 
but reality must be faced.

In this state there are no prisons you can serve your  sentence in 
that are drug-free. Some are worse than  others.

If a prisoner is using heroin and is out of it he is  easy to handle. 
The same applies for cannabis smokers.

Some officers prefer the prisoners to be in this state  and turn a 
blind eye to drug use.

Quite rightly the Government is concerned about the  health of 
prisoners, but if they are so concerned then  needles must be supplied too.

The question of cost is frankly irrelevant as both  condoms and 
needles are cheap.

Prisoners have little enough money as it is, so they  should be free.

The issue that appears to have been overlooked is the  impact all 
this disease has on the general public.

First off is the threat to everyone's health, with  hepatitis being 
spread relatively easily.

Second, we should consider the horrendous cost in terms  of dollars 
and the drain on health services these sick  people present.

All that can possibly be done to minimise disease  within prisons and 
after a prisoner's release into the  community should be done.

I recently attended a lecture on hepatitis and it was  revealed that 
more than two-thirds of male prisoners  suffered from hepatitis, and 
the percentage is higher  for females.

If true, these figures alone signify a total failure of  the system 
as it now stands.

One of the stated reasons for condoms being available  is to minimise 
harm in a rape or sexual assault  situation.

That suggestion is absurd.

I have witnessed such attacks, and to think that an  attacker will 
stop to put on a condom defies belief -  it would not happen.

These people do not think like other members of society do.

The Government should completely review the issue of  condoms and 
needle supply in jails.

It should result in the Brumby Government implementing  the 
inevitable finding that it is in the wider  community's best interest 
for these items to be  supplied, free of charge to prisoners.

- ---

ANDREW FRASER is a former lawyer who spent time in  prison for drug 
offences. He is author of Court in the  Middle.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom