Improving the health of drug-using prisoners: An exploratory study of drug information needs in male Young Offender Institutions

Drug prevention in prisons is an under-developed area. This small-scale exploratory study investigates the drug information needs of young male prisoners. Five focus groups and sixteen face-to-face interviews were carried out with male inmates across four different Young Offender Institutions in England and Wales. The findings suggest that in this context drug information should be targeted at prisoners known or suspected to have drug problems rather than at the general prison population. Information should focus on harm reduction and provide contact details for helping services. Further research is urgently needed to build the evidence base in this area.