Ex-cons speak out over drug abuse in HMP Gloucester
FORMER inmates at HMP Gloucester say staff are fighting a losing battle to stop drug abuse by prisoners.
Ex-prisoners have spoken out over the wide availability of drugs – claiming heroin is easier to get inside prison walls than on the street.
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Craig Fellowes
It comes as new figures revealed that around 10 per cent of drug tests on inmates were positive over the past three years.
Reformed addict Craig Fellowes, now a homelessness project worker, fed his habit with a life of crime and was an inmate at Gloucester.
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The 37-year-old said inmates preferred hard drugs as it took less time to leave the body than cannabis, reducing the risk of a positive drug test.
"Drugs are a different ball game in prison with smaller deals and worse quality," he said. "It is paid for with tobacco, phone cards, snacks and sweets. Prisoners choose heroin because of the testing procedures. Heroin stays in the system for just three days on average but cannabis can still be picked up 28 days later.
"If drugs were found there would be a loss of earnings or canteen privileges.
"The prison has intelligence and security officers, but it still gets through."
Craig says he was tested on average three times during each sentence as he was a known user. Some addicts would pay the standard £10 for a wrap of heroin, only to discover they had bought a worthless bag of brick dust.
Since January 2010, 881 tests were carried out on prisoners at HMP Gloucester, with 104 of these showing signs of drug use.
One former prisoner, who served time for burglary but wished to remain anonymous, said wardens struggled to contain the drug culture.
"Wardens would turn a blind eye to a lot of the drug taking, particularly at night," he said.
"If there is a wing of 100 or so men and 15 are smoking cannabis in the dark – what can they do? We knew testing went on, but it was not much of a deterrent.
"You could buy a £10 bag of heroin for three or four bottles of shampoo.
"Although I didn't take drugs, I did try hooch. It was made out of potatoes, or bread and was lethal, like really strong vodka, and regularly available."
Mandatory drug testing in prisons started in 1996.
A prison spokesman said: "We work hard to keep contraband out of prisons.
"HMP Gloucester's drug treatment programme includes dedicated Intensive Drug Treatment Nurses working together with drug counsellors to provide quality care and support for prisoners. A four-week 'moving on' programme and a drug recovery spur has been developed at HMP Gloucester, including peer support, for those who have completed the programme."
Comments
by ManCityNo1
Sunday, August 05 2012, 2:00PM
“I know what you are saying,but the fact is there is not much you can do.
If the authorities start pushing too hard we will just end up like Mexico or South America and none of us want that do we?
At the end of the day the Drug Cartels(who ultimately control all the drugs that come into this country) have more wealth and power than any Government could dream of,and thats the problem.”
by honslknjklyt
Sunday, August 05 2012, 1:41PM
“Turning a blind eye to any wrong is to be a part of it. The barriers and the fear needs to be much higher than it is.
Too many in this country just do not understand the meaning of no means no.
For law and order to prevail it must first be fit for purpose and then it can be applied.
In Britain it is not fit for purpose.”
by ManCityNo1
Sunday, August 05 2012, 1:24AM
“I think if you treated prisoners like that in this country it would cause more harm than good, and make last years riots look like kids playing in the street.
You have got to remember Gang culture has taken over and there is **** all you can do about it,the police know it and the government know it. Best just leave them to it and keep your head down,then you wont get any **** !!!
I know I probably sound like troll but honestly im not I've been there,watched it evolve. I was in a gang since I was a kid at first we were just mates hanging about,then we started making money and dressed right and people feared and respected us. That same gang now controls nearly half my City and some of my mates are hardcore and ****in loaded Mr Bigs.
I got out and had a family and mortgage and now play the game,but this is going on all over the country and will never be stopped its just impossible.
It's a completely different world from 30 yrs ago,just dont **** with it.”
by honslknjklyt
Sunday, August 05 2012, 12:43AM
“Turning a blind eye is what keeps the drug system going. If prisons here were hard enough, the wardens would not have to live under the threat of another strangeways. They would be dealt with.
In other countries prisoners know their place, they know not to mess up and who and what not to mess with. They know they are not the bosses yet here, they have far too many rights.
Let the officers use batons when need be and keep the troublesome ones locked in their cells for as long as required.”
by ManCityNo1
Sunday, August 05 2012, 12:01AM
“Turning a blind eye to prisoners using drugs keeps prisons quite, if you want a repeat of things like Strangeways in the 90's interfere with the drug supply.”
by Lord_Haw_Haw
Saturday, August 04 2012, 9:51PM
“On the subject of criminal justice...
His Lordship was walking past the Assizes yesterday morning when a prisoner shouted out to him "What's the time, pal"
Haw Haw looked him up and down, and said "Six months, son"”
by honslknjklyt
Saturday, August 04 2012, 8:39PM
“There is a woman who is around near my sister. This woman spends a lot of time with my sisters neighbour. She is a supposed ex drug addict who is not one anymore. She can't wait to tell people that she isn't one anymore. It seems to happen with these addictions where for so many years they have been treated with kid gloves and all tenderly, and in the real world they expect the same pat on the backs of other people.”
by Lord_Haw_Haw
Saturday, August 04 2012, 6:57PM
“Can't we have these fellows working in a chain gang cleaning up litter ? Plenty for them to do you know. Or sewing mailbags, breaking rocks in the hot sun, that kind of thing...”
by honslknjklyt
Friday, August 03 2012, 10:31PM
“I hope our taxes ain't paying for him to do them talks.”
by angel67
Friday, August 03 2012, 9:08PM
“look more to home first the mums who stash druggs in the babies nappies, insert drugs in places you couldnt even imagaine, the people who go out on day release and swallow or insert drugs to bring it in ..the goverment should deal with the situation now and release some cash into the prison service to update their vacilities as one person just mention place glass in between them like the USA do, more body scanning devices and drug dogs..this ex con just wants his 5mins of fame iam quiet sure he isnt Mr innocent !!!!”