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Substance abuse

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Correctional systems around the world deal with the reality of drugs in prisons. Canada is no different. Eight out of ten inmates come into Canada’s penitentiaries with substance abuse problems. More than half of federal offenders report that they were under the influence of alcohol or other drugs when they committed the offence that led to prison. Drugs in prisons are also a great concern because they lead to criminal activity in jail, violence and the transmission of disease. They also make rehabilitation efforts less effective.

Canada’s penitentiaries are therefore working to address the problem of substance abuse through three main activities:

• Security measures to keep drugs from being smuggled in by visitors and inmates
• Drug treatment programs to help inmates go clean
• Harm reduction measures to help stop the spread of disease related to substance abuse.