Statistical Bulletin 2018 — methods and definitions for drug use in prison

This page provides methods and definitions information for the Drug use in prison statistics, which form part of the EMCDDA's Statistical Bulletin 2018.

Methods and definitions used

The scarcity of existing data on drugs and prison and the lack of comparability between European countries has prompted the EMCDDA to launch a process of revision of the current monitoring tools at European level. The final aim is to obtain harmonized and comparable information in the area of drugs and prison.

A first methodological framework for monitoring on drug and prison in Europe was agreed among a group of European prison experts and it was discussed during a meeting of the Horizontal Drug Group of the Council of the European Union in February 2013. This will be followed in the next period by the definition and discussion of common tools for data collection and reporting at European level. For further information see the topics page on prison.