Source: Advertiser, The (Australia) Contact: http://www.advertiser.com.au/ Pubdate: 17 Dec 1998 Page: 7 Author: Mark Steene ALCOHOL AND DRUG PROBLEMS RIFE IN JAILS UP TO 83 per cent of the nation's prisoners continue to suffer from alcohol and drug problems while in jail, the Australian Medical Association says. Up to one in four inmates continue to use heroin when in jail, while half of all prisoners suffer from hepatitis C and hepatitis B, a national study conducted by the AMA has found. The study's findings will be used as the basis for a meeting soon between the State Human Services Minister, Mr Brown, and the AMA'S South Australian president Dr Rod Pearce. Mr Brown said yesterday: "The Government is very conscious of the health risks in prisons and has already implemented a number of policies to try to reduce the transmission of disease." "We're also very aware of the need to provide health and medical treatment to cope with the special problems of prisons. "One particular problem is the very high proportion of Aboriginal prisoners who need specialist services." - --- Checked-by: Mike Gogulski