Barriers to implementing throughcare for problematic drug users in European prisons

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the extent of throughcare provision for prisoners with problematic drug use. Effective throughcare services have been recognised as important because they help to ensure that any progress in treatment made in prison is continued on release. Previous research demonstrates that examples of good practice in throughcare provision for prisoners with problematic drug use exist in many parts of the world. However, evidence from recent work carried out in Europe indicates that the implementation of throughcare services for this group of prisoners is limited and ineffective in some EU member states. This paper aims to explore the reasons for such failure and to identify the barriers to implementing effective throughcare for this particular group of prisoners.

This paper is drawn from research carried out as part of a European project funded by the Directorate General Justice of the European Commission. The project involved six partners from a range of different member states. The research involved a literature review, followed by in-depth interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders. Each partner carried out the qualitative research within their own country, in order to enable the team to capture local nuances.

The findings indicate that key barriers to implementation of effective throughcare are resources which impacts on the availability of support services, attitudes and training of staff and ultimately the continuity of care.

This paper adds to the body of knowledge regarding the provision of effective throughcare to those with problematic drug use.