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Welcome to the EuroPris Knowledge Management System. The table below shows questions and responses from European National Agencies. Select a question for more information or use the filters on the left to narrow down questions based on Agency or Category.
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Introduction: The Northern Ireland Prison Service is conducting a review of drug testing within prisons in Northern Ireland and as part of this review they would like to obtain information on how prisons in other jurisdictions test for drugs, the training provided to staff who undertake drug testing, what measures other jurisdictions have in place for the detection of drugs including the use of technology and the lessons learned.
Drug testing in prison is carried out extensively to support prisoner management and to identify incidence and prevalence of drug use. There are 3 main types of drug testing in operation within Scottish prisons: • Drug Testing for Medical Purposes (can only be carried out by NHS colleagues); • Non-medical voluntary drug tests; and • Compulsory drug tests. There are 3 areas where compulsory drug testing may be applied: • reasonable suspicion: prisoners will be selected for this test because staff have reason to believe that the prisoner has misused drugs. • risk assessment: prisoners will be selected for this test when they are being considered for a privilege (such as release on temporary licence) or a job (such as outside working party). • prevalence testing: Addiction Prevalence Testing (APT) is carried out annually across all Scottish prisons. During one month of the year, prisoners arriving in custody are voluntarily tested for the presence of illegal or illicit drugs. Similarly, those leaving custody during the month are tested to identify the prevalence of illegal drug use. APT data is published on the ScotPHO website. Drug testing is carried out within the prison using a process known as Point of Contact Test (urine dip test). A positive screening result (with the exception of APT) may be sent to the contracted laboratory for a confirmation test.
Have any lessons been learned, or assessment undertaken in relation to the above methods?Addiction Prevalence Testing Recent analysis of the data from the SPS Management of Risk from Substances (MoRS) policy and intelligence from drug finds, suggests that people in custody are abusing more prescription (illicit) drugs and less illegal drugs such as Heroin and Cannabis. The current dip test cassettes used by the SPS for prevalence testing (APT) purposes mainly test for illegal drugs and only test for two prescription drugs, namely Methadone and Tramadol. The SPS has considered the issues with the current APT process and concluded that the results do not provide a true picture of drug taking in prisons therefore cannot determine if current services, programmes and interventions are effective at reducing or stabilising drug use. As a result it has made the decision not to carry out prevalence testing during 2019/20. During 2020 SPS will carry out a review on its approach to prevalence testing with a view to procuring a process that will provide more accurate data on the substances currently being used in the community and those being used in prisons. In recent years SPS has moved from a punitive approach to the testing for drugs to a therapeutic approach with the development of appropriate pathways to addiction services.
Is there a different policy for each security category of prisoner (if yes, please provide details of the policy per category)?All drug testing in Scottish prisons is conducted under legislative provision of the Prisons (Scotland ) Act 1989 and the Prisons Rules. Rule 93 relates to the testing for drugs. SPS can only undertake testing for Controlled Drugs, as defined within the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Rule 94 covers the testing for alcohol.
What type of training is provided to prison staff who supervise drug testing? If accredited training is provided who provides the training - prison staff or external provider?The current supplier to SPS of drug testing kits provide Prison Officers with training on the use of the testing kits. SPS currently has one provider to supply the testing kits and another provider to provide confirmation testing at a laboratory.
Are dogs used to assist with drug detection on prisoners and visitors in the prison (if this varies by prison category please explain)?Dogs are involved to assist with drug detection. Rapiscan machines and other equipment are also used to detect and prevent drugs being introduced to Prison.
Tests are taken by the prison and they are urine tests
Have any lessons been learned, or assessment undertaken in relation to the above methods?No
Is there a different policy for each security category of prisoner (if yes, please provide details of the policy per category)?No
What type of training is provided to prison staff who supervise drug testing? If accredited training is provided who provides the training - prison staff or external provider?? All the training is done inhouse and so is the supervision
Are dogs used to assist with drug detection on prisoners and visitors in the prison (if this varies by prison category please explain)?yes
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In Latvian prisons dip tests are used for the drug detection. Additionally, prisoners are provided with an opportunity to go to the medical treatment facility where medical tests are carried out by a certified narcologist or a doctor of other specialty who is certified to carry out drug tests. In addition, for drug testing LPA also uses dog handlers and service dogs.
Have any lessons been learned, or assessment undertaken in relation to the above methods?We receive reports every month, and a summary about all imprisonment places is made after 6 months and at the end of every year.
Is there a different policy for each security category of prisoner (if yes, please provide details of the policy per category)?No separate policies for the different security categories of prisoners are being applied.
What type of training is provided to prison staff who supervise drug testing? If accredited training is provided who provides the training - prison staff or external provider?The Training Center of the Latvian Prison Administration ensures the instruction of LPA officials regarding drug tests. Whereas, the training for dog handlers with service dogs is organized in cooperation with the State Border Guard College and the State Police College, on the basis of interagency agreement. In addition, the dog handlers with service dogs attend various seminars in the field of cynology, and take part in competitions of different types, including international contests and biathlons.
Are dogs used to assist with drug detection on prisoners and visitors in the prison (if this varies by prison category please explain)?Dog handlers with service dogs work in prisons to check the territory, premises and belongings for the presence of drugs or psychotropic substances.
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To find out if a detainee has consumed drugs, he/she has to undergo a urine test. The evaluation of the test takes place inside the prison in presence of the inmate. He/She has the right to contest the results of the test and to request to send a sample of his/her urine to our national laboratory (LNS = Laboratoire national de santé), where they perform a more detailed analysis.
Have any lessons been learned, or assessment undertaken in relation to the above methods?/
Is there a different policy for each security category of prisoner (if yes, please provide details of the policy per category)?The test procedure is the same for all the detainees.
What type of training is provided to prison staff who supervise drug testing? If accredited training is provided who provides the training - prison staff or external provider?There is no special training provided to the prison officers that supervise the drug test procedure. However, every new prison officer is trained on how to perform a correct body check on a detainee (every detainee has to undergo a body check before a urine test).
Are dogs used to assist with drug detection on prisoners and visitors in the prison (if this varies by prison category please explain)?Yes, police and customs officers are regularly visiting the prisons with their drug detection dogs in order to control the prisoners and the visitors. Our prisons will get their own canine unit in two or three years, so we won’t have to rely on the services of the police and the customs dog units anymore.
Dip-tests are still provided by the prisons. Dip-tests are used as screening and and when the test shows positive, it is passed on for analysis in a laboratory. No saliva, hair or wastewater.
Have any lessons been learned, or assessment undertaken in relation to the above methods?Our authority is currently deciding whether or not to continue using dip-tests. In an investigation at the Karolinska Institute, the results have been that every twelfth dip-test shows the wrong results. This regardless of manufacturer. This is a matter of legal security for clients and ultimately an economic issue.
Is there a different policy for each security category of prisoner (if yes, please provide details of the policy per category)?No, an risk-assessment is made with regard to past abuse regardless of safety class.
What type of training is provided to prison staff who supervise drug testing? If accredited training is provided who provides the training - prison staff or external provider?We have both prison staff or external providers who trains the staff. We have a central agreement with a state laboratory that includes training for the laboratory-tests.
Are dogs used to assist with drug detection on prisoners and visitors in the prison (if this varies by prison category please explain)?Narkotic-dogs are used during visitations and on prisoners and visitors. No varies by prison categorys.
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This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
(i) There exists no legal basis for mandatory at-random drug testing among prisoners. Drug testing is done in general by dip test and is only possible on individual basis and in a therapeutic, medical context or as part of a drug program, based on a contractual agreement with the prisoner, cf drug free wing. Drug testing by external laboratories are exceptionally used, in case of a contra-expertise of dip test or in the case of individual suspicion of drugs that cannot be detected by the dip test (for ex. Anabolic steroids, GHB) (ii) Drug detection by dogs is contracted out to the police department.
Have any lessons been learned, or assessment undertaken in relation to the above methods?In the case of a contractual agreement with the prisoner, as a condition to resident in a drug free wing, drug dip testing is now individually motivated by the prison director before executed (legislation). This is not the case when the dip test is undertaken for therapeutic, medical reasons.
Is there a different policy for each security category of prisoner (if yes, please provide details of the policy per category)?No different policy concerning drug testing exist.
What type of training is provided to prison staff who supervise drug testing? If accredited training is provided who provides the training - prison staff or external provider?No training and no accredited training.
Are dogs used to assist with drug detection on prisoners and visitors in the prison (if this varies by prison category please explain)?Dogs of the police are used on the basis of a contractual agreement, both on prisoners and visitors.