The furthest left behind: the urgent need to scale up harm reduction in prisons
International Journal of Prisoner Health
ISSN: 1744-9200
Article publication date: 11 September 2017
Abstract
Purpose
Raise awareness about the disproportionate impact of HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) on prisoners worldwide and the need for key harm reduction services such as needle and syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy in prisons offer practical recommendations to assist policy makers in implementing or scaling up these services. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is a desk review of existing data and evidence on HIV, HCV and harm reduction in prisons, analysis of political barriers and formulation of key policy recommendations.
Findings
Harm reduction works, yet service provision in prisons remains extremely limited. There is an urgent need for governments to enhance political leadership and funding for harm reduction in prisons. Authorities must also work to remove obstacles to the implementation of harm reduction services in prisons, enhance the monitoring and evaluation of laws, policies and programmes relating to HIV, HCV and drugs in prison settings, and recognise access to harm reduction in prisons as a fundamental human right. Until these obstacles are addressed, the world will not meet the Sustainable Development Goal of eradicating HIV and HCV by 2030.
Originality/value
More than just a desk review, this policy brief provides a political analysis of the harm reduction crisis in prisons and offers clear-cut recommendations for policy makers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was co-funded by the European Commission under the Criminal Justice Programme. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Commission.
Citation
Sander, G. and Murphy, F. (2017), "The furthest left behind: the urgent need to scale up harm reduction in prisons", International Journal of Prisoner Health, Vol. 13 No. 3/4, pp. 185-191. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-08-2016-0044
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited