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<p>Prisons should be places of safety and reform. Improving safety and decreasing
violence is an urgent priority for the Government.</p><p>The increase in psychoactive
substances in prisons has contributed to a rise in prison violence, making offenders
more volatile and their reactions more difficult to judge and manage.</p><p>We have
introduced legislation to restrict the supply and possession of psychoactive substances
in prisons, and put in place new penalties for possession of a psychoactive substance
in custody. Following a successful trial in 34 prisons over the summer, we have introduced
an innovative new programme of mandatory drug testing for psychoactive substances
in all prisons.</p><p>We will be setting out our plans for prison safety and reform
in more detail, including our plans to reduce prison violence, in a White Paper in
the coming weeks.</p>
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