New research will look at reducing substance abuse among people in prisons and on probation

The University of South Wales (USW) and Public Health Wales are working together on a two-year project looking at reducing substance abuse among people in prisons and on probation.

The project, which was was awarded £256,840 from Health and Care Research Wales, will investigate changes in alcohol and drug use among people during their time in prison and after their release, when the risk of substance use-related harm is elevated.

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Probation offices

Co-led by Dr Benjamin Gray, Public Health Wales, and Professor Katy Holloway, USW, the research will include interviews with 60 participants, with at least one participant from each of the 25 probation offices situated in Wales.

Professor Holloway said: "During the study, we want people to feel safe and open in discussing their experiences. By partnering with Wales Probation Service, G4S and Kaleidoscope, we hope to gain deeper insights into how people cope with substance use during their time in prison and during their transition back into the community.

“The period following release from prison is a particularly dangerous time for people with histories of substance use. Tolerance can drop significantly while in prison, and when individuals return to previous environments and resume previous levels of use, this can lead to overdose and sometimes death. Our research will focus on reducing these risks and finding solutions that help to prevent such tragedies.”

Dr Gray added: “We are really delighted to receive the research funding to undertake this important piece of work. There is a real appetite for change amongst the research group, so I am really excited to see how this research develops over the next two years.”

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