Barriers to implementing throughcare for problematic drug users in European prisons

Area of Science:

• Criminology
• Public Health
• Addiction Studies

Background:

• Effective throughcare services are crucial for maintaining treatment gains for prisoners with problematic drug use post-release.
• While good practices exist globally, recent European research highlights limited and ineffective throughcare implementation in some EU member states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the extent of throughcare provision for prisoners with problematic drug use.
• To explore reasons for the failure and identify barriers to implementing effective throughcare services in the European context.

Main Methods:

• The study is part of a European project involving six partners from various member states.
• Research methodology included a comprehensive literature review, followed by in-depth interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders.
• Qualitative research was conducted nationally by each partner to capture local nuances.

Main Results:

• Key barriers identified include insufficient resources affecting support service availability.
• Inadequate staff attitudes and training represent significant obstacles to effective throughcare.
• These factors ultimately compromise the continuity of care for prisoners with problematic drug use.

Conclusions:

• This research contributes to the understanding of challenges in providing effective throughcare for individuals with problematic drug use.
• Identifying these barriers is essential for improving future service provision and policy development.