Inquiry: Substance misuse in prisons

Alcohol is the forgotten crisis for people in the justice system: 63% of people in prison have alcohol use disorder and 40% of prisoners were drunk at the time of their offence with 41% who would accept help if offered. Yet the alcohol treatment gap is massive: only 167 offenders (about 1.1% of the prison population) were referred to alcohol services in 2024-25.