On average, 80 per cent of inmates entering Her Majesty’s Prisons (HMP) are under the influence of an illicit drug, mainly marijuana, according to a top prison official.

HMP Director of Information Don Cleare revealed the startling statistic yesterday after top US Embassy officials gave prison officials state-of-the-art corrections technology to help prevent contraband items from entering the facilities and improve overall safety and security measures for inmates and officers.

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, John Dinkelman, along with other US Embassy officials, delivered a Body Orifice Security Scanner (BOSS) III chair, which is used to detect contraband concealed by inmates in the human cavity.

The Embassy also donated a dip device drug screening kit, used for the disposable onsite drug screening of inmates to detect cocaine and marijuana abuse; two specialised signal detectors that will be used to guard against illicit listening devices, detect unauthorised radio frequency signals and uncover potentially dangerous, illicit electronic devices.

HMP Superintendent Dr. Elliston Rahming said that the devices will be integral in improving the overall safety of the prisons and ensuring that inmates do not use drugs while behind bars.

“We’re not pleased with the level of contraband; we’re never pleased with the level of contraband coming into the prison and we’re always looking for new ways to reduce this level and these devices will assist us greatly with that,” Dr. Rahming said.

“We have two drug programmes – one is a drug education programme for casual drug users and recently within the past two months we started a challenge drug therapy programme and if they [the inmates] test positive for drugs that limits the kinds of things they are able to do.”

Officials fear that security at the prisons continues to be undermined by the prevalence of unauthorised cellular phones. More than 20 are confiscated per week.

As part of the US Embassy’s donation, 12 prison officers will also receive extensive training on the proper use of the detection.

Dr. Rahming said the devices will be put into operation at the prisons by early September after prison officers have been given proper training on their uses.

“About 30 of our officers will be put through a course in corrections leadership also funded by the US Embassy,” he said.

In total, the US Embassy’s prison support programme is valued at over $100,000.
The donation will complement a more in-depth training with HMP in partnership with the Rhode Island Corrections Department scheduled for this fall.