Organised in co-operation with COREVIH (website in French) Grand Est the Pompidou Group held the 4th study visit of its South-East Europe (SEE) Co-operation Group on Developing comprehensive drug treatment systems in prisons (PRISEE) at the Council of Europe premises in Strasbourg, France, on 24-26 September 2024.
This year, the visit featured a 1,5-day joint conference organised in partnership with the Council of Europe’s Implementation of Human Rights, Justice and Legal Co-operation Standards department, on improving health safeguards for people with substance use disorders (PWSUD) in detention. The conference gathered over 120 participants from 38 member States, on 24-25 September 2024, presented related international standards and an overview on substance use in prisons, the relevant judgements of the European Court of Human Rights and their execution, and specific topics such as New Psychoactive Substances, non-medical use of prescription drugs and dual diagnosis in the prison context.
The central theme of the visit was challenges and solutions in introducing and improving treatment structures targeting people with substance use disorders in prison, one of the network’s three priority topics. Around 30 policy makers and prison professionals from 11 South-East European countries, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine directly involved in designing and implementing treatment and rehabilitation services for imprisoned people with substance use disorders participated in the event.
In the second part of the study visit, participants explored the penal policy and the penitentiary system in France followed by an overview of treatment and harm reduction measures implemented in French prisons, through a presentation by its project team of the Regional Program and the efforts undertaken by COREVIH Grand-Est, managed by Ms Anne MISBACH and Ms Marine PICARD, to address physical and psychological health of detained persons with substance use disorders (SUD). One of the key topics of the event was how to set up an advocacy strategy for implementing a risk and harm reduction approaches in prison settings, similar to what has been done at the prison of Villeneuve lès Maguelone in France.
In addition, group members reported about the activities carried out on their territories with support of PRISEE. , These included two expert assessment visits conducted in Cyprus and Slovenia, in June 2024 on raising standards on drug treatment and rehabilitation in custodial settings, the multidisciplinary trainers’ manual for prison staff on care and treatment of persons with substance use disorders developed and tested in Montenegro.
The study visit was concluded with a field visit to the Penitentiary Institution of Strasbourg, where they were welcomed by Ms Audrey REVIL, prison Director, and Mr Frédéric HANKUS Deputy Head of the Integration, Probation and Recidivism Prevention Department at DISP, the interregional prison services directorate. Participants exchanged with medical and security professionals working at the facility and were given a tour of the penitentiary complex.
Watch video of conference participants talking about new challenges related to about the conference on Vimeo!