On Friday, April 4, 2025, professionals, policymakers, and advocates gathered at the Amphithéâtre Espace Diversités Laïcités in Toulouse, France, to discuss a crucial topic: reducing risks and harms in the prison environment. This event brought together medical experts, legal professionals, social workers, and representatives from key institutions to explore innovative strategies and challenges in addressing harm reduction in correctional facilities.
Key Highlights of the Program
🔹 Opening Session & Introduction to Harm Reduction in PrisonsThe day started with a discussion on what harm reduction means in a prison setting. Experts shared insights from medical, social, and legal perspectives, while an agency from the European Union provided a broader context on harm reduction initiatives across Europe.
🔹 Breaking the Taboo: Roundtable DiscussionA diverse panel, including members of parliament, human rights advocates, prison administration personnel, and health representatives, engaged in an open dialogue on the challenges of implementing harm reduction measures in prisons. The conversation emphasized the importance of policy changes and practical interventions to support incarcerated individuals.
🔹 Innovative Actions by COREVIH in PrisonsCOREVIH representatives from different regions of France shared pioneering projects aimed at improving healthcare access and harm reduction efforts for incarcerated individuals. These initiatives highlight the growing recognition of the need for targeted public health responses within the prison system.
Why This Event Matters
Prisons remain high-risk environments for infectious diseases, mental health crises, and drug-related harms. Addressing these challenges requires multi-disciplinary collaboration, political will, and innovative strategies. Events like this foster critical conversations and pave the way for better policies and interventions.
🔹 Looking AheadThe conference closed with a call for continued advocacy and policy reform. As harm reduction remains a pressing issue in correctional facilities, stakeholders must work together to ensure that incarcerated individuals receive adequate healthcare and support.
📢 Stay tuned for upcoming events and reports on harm reduction strategies in prisons!
PROGRAM
FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2025
REDUCING RISKS AND HARMS IN PRISON SETTINGS
📍 Amphitheater Espace Diversités Laïcités
🔹 9:00 AM - Welcome
🔹 9:20 AM - Opening Session
🔹 9:30 AM - Reducing Risks and Harms in Prison: What Are We Talking About?
The medical perspective
The social perspective
The legal perspective
Harm reduction in Europe: Presentation of a European agency
🔹 11:00 AM - Break
🔹 11:30 AM - Roundtable: Harm Reduction in Prisons, a Taboo to BreakParticipants: Members of Parliament, General Controller of Places of Deprivation of Liberty, Sidaction, Prison Administration Staff, Representative of the Ministry of Health, COREVIH Occitanie, COHEP, Doctors, Philosophers, Lawyers.
🔹 1:00 PM - Lunch Break
🔹 2:30 PM - Introduction: Missions of COREVIH/CORESS for People Under Judicial SupervisionSpeaker: Representative of the State.
🔹 2:45 PM - Innovative Actions by COREVIH in Prison SettingsSpeakers: COREVIH Grand-Est, COREVIH Paris Île-de-France, COREVIH Hauts-de-France, COREVIH Occitanie.
🔹 5:00 PM - Closing Session
📍 Venue:Amphitheater Espace Diversités Laïcités, 31000 Toulouse, France.
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