There are currently no needle and syringe programs (NSPs) operating in any Australian prisons. This is despite a growing body of international research clearly demonstrating that NSPs have been shown to be safe, beneficial and cost-effective within a variety of prison settings.

The continuing high rates of blood borne viruses (BBVs) among prisoners support an urgent need to introduce NSPs into the Australian prison system.

Australia cannot afford to continue to avoid the serious implications of not implementing prison-based NSPs, both to protect prisoners’ health and human rights, and to limit the spread of BBVs as individuals are released back into the community.