FED: Women dying from drugs on prison release study

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-1999
FED: Women dying from drugs on prison release study

Researchers at Melbourne's La Trobe University say the number of women dying within six
months of release from prison is a hidden scandal.

The research project has confirmed 66 cases of post-release deaths and identified another
possible 33 in a 10-year period in Victoria.

Details of the project, which identifies drug overdoses as the major cause of death, will
be presented to the first national conference on Health in Prisons in Sydney today.

La Trobe University researchers SANDY COOK and SUSANNE DAVIES say government statistics
show the death rate for women on parole is three times higher than for men, but there are
currently no studies dealing with post-release mortality among women prisoners.

Dr DAVIES says women don't receive support in prison to deal with drug addiction, and 80
per cent of post-release deaths are from heroin overdoses or mixed drug toxicity.

She says the case studies reveal that prior to being jailed, many of the women endured
violent relationships, sexual abuse, unemployment, and drug dependency.

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