There are likely to be few prisons anywhere that have not experienced a problem relating to drugs, but the findings of an inspection at Maghaberry jail in Co Antrim still make for alarming reading.
A joint team representing several regulatory bodies carried out a detailed examination last autumn and has now set out a series of concerns to be addressed.
Among the findings, inspectors identified "a serious drug problem" at the time of the unannounced visit.
Four out of 10 prisoners surveyed indicated it was easy to get hold of illicit drugs, while more than a quarter said they had actually developed a drug problem while behind supposedly secure walls.
Inspectors also reported long delays to access the clinical substance misuse treatment service and "no effective or co-ordinated plan in place to reduce the demand for and supply of drugs and no means of assessing the effectiveness of actions taken".
Maghaberry is the only high-security prison in Northern Ireland and as such, it would be expected that effective measures could be put in place to stop the supply of illegal drugs.
Given the link between addiction issues and crime, the prevalence of drugs is deeply worrying in a setting intended to prepare people for a return to law-abiding life.
In response, NI Prison Service director general Ronnie Armour has highlighted the "unprecedented" demands currently placed on staff, who are dealing with a population that has risen from 830 to 1,230 since 2018.
It is hoped new body scanners will clamp down on smuggling, although the fact that many inmates use prescription medication makes it difficult to prevent drugs being traded internally.
Of equal concern was that inspectors found access to education, training and work activities had declined, with long waiting lists leaving many men unable to gain skills or qualifications in key areas.
Prison leaders were told to focus on getting inmates into meaningful work and provide effective support that will make them less likely to offend on their release.
And while staff-prisoner relations were generally observed to be good, concerns were raised that some Catholic inmates may have experienced prejudice from some staff members. A commitment to robustly investigate such allegations is welcome.
The job of prison officers and managers is undoubtedly a difficult one and a rising population puts even greater strain on limited services.
However, the rehabilitation element of the prison experience remains vital if authorities are to reduce re-offending rates and allow inmates to safely reintegrate into the community.
