Prisoners in call for help to beat booze

MORE than a third of prisoners would accept help to beat their alcohol addiction if it was offered, a report has found.

Dependence on drink is a huge problem in Lothians prisons, with estimates stating 75 per cent of prisoners may have problems with alcohol.

It has led to calls for the screening of prisoners before they are jailed to spot signs early and help them not relapse into a boozing cycle when they are released.

Experts said alcoholism was very much linked with reoffending, and the latest NHS Scotland drive to solve the problem has won widespread support.

Others said it mirrored a wider issue society as a whole has with alcohol.

Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill said: "The problem of alcohol misuse among offenders is a major challenge to us all, and the needs assessment being launched is a tremendous contribution to the work required to rise to this challenge.

"These reports provide further evidence that more needs to be done to tackle Scotland's damaging relationship with alcohol."