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Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems: 2003, 05, 3 (pages: 37 - 42)

Treatment of prisoners addicted to prohibited drugs in institutions for criminal law sanctions in Maribor, Slovenia

Pisec A.

Summary: In the penitentiary institutions of Maribor, over the seven-year period 1995-2002, 154 persons addicted to prohibited drugs were held in preventive custody, or served terms for administrative misconduct, or were being held after a conviction. Work with them was carried out in accordance with: (1) the Penal Law of the Republic of Slovenia - art. 66 on the obligatory medical treatment of alcoholics and drug addicts, (2) the Law on implementing the criminal law sanctions affecting the medical treatment of addicts to prohibited drugs, (3) regulations for the treatment of prisoners addicted to prohibited drugs. Before imprisonment 79 addicts were taking part in the methadone programme; in line with instructions, participation in the programme was ended within a month. All these addicts took part in classic medical detoxification, and in individual and group treatments. For these purposes a social welfare worker, a specialist pedagogist, a psychologist and psychiatrists were included in the team. A statistical review of imprisoned addicts showed that there were many more men (145) than women (9). Only a few prisoners were first-time offenders. Epidemiological results: (1) None of addicts examined were infected with the HIV virus. (2) 31 patients were infected with the hepatitis C virus. (3) In 31 cases no results were available (due to patients' refusal to be examined). (4) Comorbidity affected 60 patients (10 cases of psychosis, and 50 of personality disturbances). Work with imprisoned addicts is specific and difficult; it requires a great deal of knowledge and experience. We are guided by the idea that our task is to help these patients, while all the other data connected with them are irrelevant to us.