Last update:
11-Nov-2024

Socio-economic disadvantages and marginalization favour higher rates of poor health, highlighting multiple barriers and exclusion in accessing quality and affordable healthcare, with severe consequences for health. Populations with diversity face a multitude of inequalities and injustices, which complicate and aggravate health. A significant percentage of detainees/prisoners come from marginalized populations, possibly including groups with multiple forms of diversity, who have already experienced various forms of discrimination, racism, and prejudices. The most common health problems present are related to substance use disorders, psychiatric disorders and infectious diseases, which are interconnected, mutually exacerbate, and have a negative impact on health. They often represent, however, an excuse for an underlying or perceivable, indifferent or biased attitude of the state, society, and staff of both the correctional and the healthcare system. The right to health is one of the fundamental human rights and is the state's obligation to provide services in prisons equivalent to those provided to individuals in the community. People who use psychoactive substances make up a very large percentage of detainees/prisoners and often have more than one of the aforementioned qualities and vulnerabilities. The probability of committing a crime is eight times higher among people who use psychoactive substances than in the general population. In Europe, 30–75% of people with substance use disorders have been incarcerated at some point in their lives. On January 31, 2021, 17.2% of the total population of Europeans had been convicted of drug-related offenses. Many individuals convicted of drug law violations or related offenses show substance use disorders, but many others do not. However, there are also substance users who have been convicted for other offences.

Key words: Addictions, Drugs, Prisons, Services.