Overview
- A report published Friday says safety and rehabilitation are being critically undermined by a “dangerous culture of acceptance” around illicit drugs in prisons.
- Nearly 39% of prisoners report that drugs are easy to obtain, with markets dominated by organised crime and prices reaching up to 100 times street value.
- Prisons and Probation Ombudsman data show 136 drug-related deaths among 833 investigated cases between December 2022 and December 2024.
- Ministry of Justice figures record 1,712 drone sightings in the year to March 2025, up from 138 in the year to March 2021, with MPs warning of risks from weapons as well as contraband.
- Recommendations include restoring mandatory drug testing to pre-pandemic levels, accelerating wastewater monitoring, reviewing prescription dispensing inside prisons, tightening staff vetting, and investing in electronic counter-drone systems.