Predictoren van druggebruik tijdens de detentieperiode : data van 1326 gedetineerden uit 15 Vlaamse gevangenissen

Abundant research indicates that drug use is commonplace in prisons worldwide, yet little is known about (risk factors for) drug use in the Belgian prison estate. The present study sought to address this void. Data were drawn from a random sample of 1326 offenders (aged 18–77 years) incarcerated in 15 prisons throughout Flanders, Belgium. Sociodemographic, criminal, and mental health variables were compared between prisoners who self-reported illicit drug use during their current incarceration (N = 462) and those who did not (N = 864). In the multivariate analysis, younger age, Belgian nationality, and convicted status were all independently predictive of drug use during the current prison term. Illicit drug use before imprisonment, prior addiction treatment, and indicators of mental ill-health were also associated with increased odds of in-prison drug use. Collectively, our findings highlight the need for screening for drug use and psychiatric morbidity at reception into prison, effective treatment while in custody, and follow-up on release