Spice in prison

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Spice management in prison: a realist evaluation of a drug treatment programme

• IRAS ID

  224170

• Contact name

  John Wooldridge

• Contact email

  n/a

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 6 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Since 2009, the use of legal highs and synthetic cannabis increased dramatically among both prisoners and the general population (Stephenson and Richardson 2014; CSEW 2016). Synthetic cannabis, also known as spice, is a drug designed mimic the effects of the main psychoactive substance found in cannabis, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and attach to cannabinoid receptors in the brain (UNODC, 2011).A study by User Voice, a prisoner rehabilitation charity, found that one in three prisoners reported using spice in the last month. HM Inspectorate of Prisons (2015) recognise the changing patterns of drug use in prisons and the significant additional harm caused by New Psychoactive Substances which they argue are now, “the most serious threat to the safety and security of the prison system” (p.7).
  
  This realist evaluation takes a comparative case study approach that considers drug treatment programmes in two prisons, which will help to understand how the different aspects of prison context shape how drug treatment programmes are implemented, leading to an understanding of what works, for whom, and in what circumstances.

  The first phase involves a documentary analysis, whereby contextual differences between the prisons will be understood. Then, in-depth semi-structured interviews will be conducted inside the prison with prisoners and over the phone with staff that work with prisoners. Then case studies will be built around each prison, within and cross case comparisons will be made.

• REC name

  North East - York Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  19/NE/0315

• Date of REC Opinion

  6 Nov 2019

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion