Download files
Abstract
Three-quarters of people in prison have a history of hazardous use of alcohol and other drugs (AoD), yet there is a paucity of research into AoD use and prison-based treatment. This lack of prison-based AoD research exists despite the enormous body of research conducted over many decades into problematic AoD use generally in Australia. This research project adds to the limited evidence base for prison-based AoD treatment within Australia. It may also be of international relevance: given its focus on Australia’s Indigenous (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander ) peoples, the knowledge gained here could be useful in informing approaches to these issues for Indigenous/First Nations peoples in other countries.
Theoretically, under the principle of equivalence of care (1), people in prison should receive health care to the same standard as they could access in the community. As Australia has a universal health care system, the full spectrum of health services should be available, including those for AoD use problems. However, this is not the case. The principal aim of this research is to inform better provision of AoD treatment services for people in prison in Australia. The research has a focus on Aboriginal people because, as is made clear within the thesis, this group is vastly over-represented in Australian prisons.
While both quantitative and qualitative research methods have been utilised in this project, the primary methodology used for data collection and analysis is qualitative. Chapter One provides an overview of the research and its significance and potential benefits. Chapter Two examines the Australian and international published research into prison-based AoD treatment. Chapter Three describes the extent of AoD use and harms among prisoners in the state of New South Wales (NSW), which highlights the need for the availability of effective AoD treatment programs. Chapter Four describes the qualitative methodology used and the characteristics of the participants in the research. Chapters Five, Six and Seven then outline the histories and AoD treatment experiences of participants, and the resultant findings. In Chapter Eight, the research questions are revisited, and conclusions are drawn.