§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for (1) the Home Department what steps he is taking to segregate non drug addicts from drug addicts in prisons. [75466]
(2) what estimate he makes of the number of prisoners who adopt a drug habit whilst in prison. [75467]
(3) what action he is taking (a) to segregate inmates on first prison sentence and (b) to reduce recidivism among first time prisoners. [74929]
(4) if he will increase the segregation of prisoners in order to reduce (a) recidivism and (b) prison drug use. [75464]
§ Hilary BennSpecific reconviction figures are not collected for first time prisoners. The Prison Service has been set a target to reduce the rate of reconvictions of all released prisoners by five per cent. compared to the predicted rate by 2004. To meet this target the Prison Service draws on 'What Works' research to provide regimes which are effective in tackling offending behaviour and the factors which contribute towards re-offending.
There is no evidence to suggest that segregating prisoners leads to a reduction in recidivism or overall drug use. There are no statistics available on which to base an estimate of the numbers of prisoners who adopt a drug habit whilst in prison; drug taking by its nature is a covert activity.
Voluntary drug testing programmes are available for prisoners who wish to make a commitment to remain drug free. Ninety prisons currently have voluntary drug testing units in operation. These do not provide segregation but they do provide a degree of separation from prisoners not making a formal commitment to remain drug free.