HUGE strides have been made at Dartmoor Prison to deal with inmates' drugs problems through a low-cost drug therapy programme.
A recently released report covering 2000/2001, compiled by the Board of Visitors, revealed that a specialised team have been working closely with the programme in support of prisoners with drug problems as well as alcohol related concerns.
The team was drawn from selected prison officers and personnel from the Exeter Drugs Project.
The #Board also praised the dedicated Suicide Awareness Team.
Its work in helping to prevent self-harm and suicide and identifying those prisoners at high risk has been 'excellent' said the Board.
As a result of the work there had been no suicides at the prison for the third year in succession.
The report recommended that the prison re-opens building trades, painting and decorating and plastering workshops that were closed in 1996.
'Being a training prison, the workshops at HMP Dartmoor provides a very useful training programme to assist prisoners to find useful employment on release,' said the Board of Visitors, which is pressing for further investment.
An appeal is to be made to the Home Secretary to consider a number of issues raised in the report. These include the replacement of out-of-date laundry equipment and to provide a more satisfactory visitors' external waiting room.
Investment is also needed for leaking roofs in the gymnasium, main stores and library.
A bid has been submitted to provide cash for integral sanitation in C Wing which the #Board found unacceptable in its present form.
'Prisoners do have access to out-of-cell sanitation throughout the night but this does require a higher staffing level compared to other wings,' concluded the Board.