More than a third of deaths among former prisoners supervised by probation services in Wales were linked to drugs in the 2024-25 period, according to a new report published by the Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. The figure stands at 37%, a rate significantly higher than the 21% recorded across England and Wales as a whole.
Dr Robert Jones, the report’s author, described the situation as tragic and pointed to systematic failures within the criminal justice system. He noted that while many social policy areas such as housing, education, and local government are devolved to the Welsh government, criminal justice matters often fall between the debates in Cardiff and Westminster.
Systemic Gaps in Support
The data indicates that 19 of the 52 deaths where the intent was undetermined were drug poisonings. This proportion is substantially higher than the 131 out of 620 total deaths in the same category across the broader England and Wales region. Jones argued that the current devolution settlement leaves the Welsh government without the necessary powers to fully address the underlying causes of these challenges.
David Bennett from Wallich, Wales’s largest homelessness charity, stated that most drug-related deaths are preventable if substance use is treated as a health issue rather than a criminal justice matter. He emphasized that housing, health, and justice services need a coordinated approach to avoid setting prison leavers up to fail.
Rising Homelessness and Demographic Disparities
Homelessness among former prisoners in Wales is also increasing. The number of people leaving prison and supervised by Welsh probation services who were recorded as rough sleeping on the day of their release rose by 24% in 2025-26. In total, 695 prison leavers were found sleeping rough on their release day.
The report also highlighted ongoing demographic disparities. People from black ethnic groups remained the most overrepresented ethnic group in the Welsh prison population in 2025. There were 58 black people from Wales in prison for every 10,000 of the population, compared to 15 white people per 10,000.
Additionally, 39% of all custodial sentences given to women in Wales in 2025 were for shoplifting offenses. These findings have strengthened the case for the full devolution of justice to Wales, a position supported by both the current Plaid Cymru government and the previous Labour administration.
Government Responses and Funding
A spokesperson for the Welsh government acknowledged every drug-related death as a tragedy. They stated that they are working with health boards, local authorities, and Public Health Wales to reduce harms caused by substance misuse through early intervention and treatment. The spokesperson added that bringing responsibility for justice into line with other devolved services would enable a more effective approach to improving outcomes.
The UK Ministry of Justice responded by noting that it inherited prisons in crisis and is acting on multiple fronts. A spokesperson highlighted an investment of more than £3.4 million in Wales to support prison leavers in overcoming addiction through services across prisons, probation, and courts. They also mentioned that temporary accommodation can be offered to prisoners at risk of homelessness.
Ruth Jones, chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee at Westminster, described the data as devastating. She noted that the prison and probation system is struggling with complex demand, which has serious implications for rehabilitation. Jones added that her committee has consistently pressed the UK government for better Wales-specific justice data, noting that several of Dr Jones’s data requests to the Ministry of Justice did not receive a response.
Source: BBC
