Forword
Prisons are junctions through which most heavy drug-abusers or addicts pass sooner or later due to offenses like trafficking, commerce, distribution and use of illegal drugs, and other offenses due to their need to obtain and pay for drugs.
IPS is convinced that prisoners need to profit from their incarceration. Therefore, IPS offers prevention, orientation, therapeutic, and other types of rehabilitative intervention.
The enormity of the drug problem and the high concentration of drug-abusers in prisons require a combined effort of all staff in IPS and all of its professionals in order to address this issue adequately and reduce the problem.
IPS has developed different intervention programs in order to enroll every prisoner willing to abandon drugs and return to a normative way of life without the use of drugs.
The Deployment of Multi-disciplinary Teams
The basic premise accepted by most professionals is that, although the reasons for drug addiction are still neither adequately known nor straightforward, addiction is caused or determined by a combination of factors, among them psychological, biological and social factors (the bio-psycho-social model).
On this basis, the treatment of the addict has to be the work of a multi-disciplinary team who can deal with the addict's various problems during his rehabilitation process with an optimal repertoire of professional skills by applying a comprehensive but individually-oriented approach. Success in the treatment of the addict will be enhanced by the collaboration and team work of medical staff, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, specialists in employment, education, and a rabbi.
Successful treatment also requires a community after-care plan and involvement of outside specialists in community after-care (e.g., community-care workers, representatives of the Prisoners Rehabilitation Authority and of Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and others) at different stages of the treatment process, especially during preparation for release.
The Treatment Process
In its determination to recruit every prisoner willing to abandon drugs and return to a drug-free life, IPS has developed a range of various types of intervention. The first stage in the treatment process is diagnosis and classification of the inmate into one of three categories, with each category being housed in a separate location, or referred to a particular program, as follows:
1. Drug-free prisoners housed in drug-free units to prevent contact with addicts, users, or traffickers.
2. Occasional user or moderate drug-abuser, is referred to supportive preventive programs in order to receive help to become drug-free.
3. Heavy user or drug addict, is referred to one of the treatment programs in accordance with the extent and depth of his addiction. Some will be referred to programs that exist in their particular prison while others will be referred to one of IPS’ treatment centers.