Back to overview

FIELDWORK AND EDUCATION IN PRISON

Drugs are being used in prison- that is a fact. It happens in every country in the world, no matter how heavily guarded the institution is. You could write a book about the smuggling methods prisoners devise to get drugs inside. From children’s drawings soaked in drugs to drones making deliveries on demand, from tennis balls being shot over the walls to apples with a special surprise inside. Until 2009, Mainline was working in various institutions to help reduce the risks of drug use in detention. Now, in 2025, we are resuming this work.

DRUG USE BEHIND BARS

There are numerous reasons why people use drugs in detention. Some people were already dependent on substances before their arrest. Inside, they experience stress or boredom. They may be haunted by their past and want to numb feelings of guilt or shame. Trauma can be another reason for drug use. Some detainees simply enjoy using together, while others get a thrill out of successfully smuggling something in. Additionally, drugs serve as valuable currency among inmates. It is therefore no surprise that many prisoners go to great lengths and take significant risks to get drugs into the prison.

HARM REDUCTION WORKS!

In 2025, Mainline is resuming its fieldwork in prisons. We will be working in a penitentiary institution in the east of the Netherlands. There, our fieldworkers will engage in open, educational discussions about drug use. The fact that we do this as an independent and external organisation adds significant value. In our experience, a prison stay offers some individuals a unique opportunity to reconsider their drug use. Topics covered will include harm reduction and self-control, overdose prevention, polysubstance use, continuing methadone treatment after release, and infectious diseases such as hepatitis C.

Objectives

With this initiative, Mainline aims to

Improve the health of prisoners who use drugs;
Gain insight into high-risk drug use within the prison;
Prevent drug-related incidents, thereby contributing to the safety of both inmates and staff.