Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 181
181
Deferred
Allocate dedicated capital funding for advanced prison detection technology and software updates
Recommendation
The Government must allocate dedicated capital funding for the accelerated acquisition and maintenance of advanced trace detection technology and full-body scanners in all prisons. This investment must include a mandated requirement for rapid, regular software library updates for all drug detection equipment to ensure they remain effective against emerging and new psychoactive substances (NPS). (Recommendation, Paragraph 79)
Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses managing prisoners linked to Organised Crime Groups and researching the impact of debt within prisons, rejecting the segregation of individuals based solely on OCG involvement, rather than committing to funding for advanced drug detection technology.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
We recognise how SOC operators can exploit vulnerable prisoners, creating debt and driving violence and self-harm, which undermines safety and stability across the prison estate. However, we do not accept the recommendation to segregate individuals solely on the basis of Organised Crime Group (OCG) involvement, as this would not be allowed under current legislation. We have recently commissioned work to consider how regimes for prisoners linked to SOC groups can be managed more effectively, drawing on research, evidence and learning from our overseas partners. We are also improving our understanding of the nature, extent, and repercussions of debt within prisons, including its impact on violence, through a major external research study. We anticipate receiving the final report from the academic leading the research in 2026, which will inform future policy decisions. Chapter 5: Support for prisoners