Guns are falling into the hands of prisoners, a report revealed yesterday.

Hard drugs and knives are also finding their way into the prisons with increasing regularity.

The report -- presented to the House of Assembly -- states random urine testing on inmates was started in December.

And several prisoners tested positive for alcohol and drugs, failing to meet conditions of the work release programme.

Yesterday the Social Services Ministry's permanent secretary Mr. Carl Musson pointed out the Treatment of Offenders Board report 1993 related largely to Casemates -- and not the new Westgate prison.

Security measures at the Westgate Correctional Facility were tighter, he said.

"The new prison has a much better control of contraband.'' He added: "Visitors, for instance, have to leave all their belongings behind before seeing a prisoner.'' Mr. Musson said it was suspected visitors had smuggled contraband into prison in gifts for inmates, such as cakes or fruit.

"It is obviously impossible to guarantee that nothing illegal gets into our prisons.

"No prison in the world can guarantee that. There are always imperfections.'' The Treatment of Offenders Board (TOOB) report said more contraband was being confiscated by prison staff.

"There was an increase in unlawful items in the prisons, i.e. guns, knives and hard drug, etc.

"Montrose Substance Abuse Programme, Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous continued to offer therapeutic help to inmates.

"There is always a waiting list at Montrose.'' The report also revealed the prison population fell by 13 percent over the year.

The total number of inmates on January 1 1993 was 254, compared to 221 on December 31.

In addition, the report touched on an inquiry into allegations a remand prisoner at the Co-Ed Facility was mistreated by officers.

The allegations, carried in The Royal Gazette , were made by two women visitors.

The report stated several recommendations following the investigation, including: If the Co-Ed Facility is to house very young prisoners, "segregated facilities'' should be provided for adolescents on remand; Staff need training in human relations and skills relating to very young offenders and foreign nationals; The Prisons Department should consider standards over the use of force in restraining inmates; Prisoners and those on remand should be screened by a trained psychologist; The two women who made the complaints should be encouraged to continue their visits.

The report continued by referring to several matters under the heading "unusual events''.

These included the death of an inmate at the Prison Farm who fell from a window.

"An inquest is pending; It is assumed however that he committed suicide,'' the report stated.

It added that a trainee at the Co-Ed Facility attempted suicide and an inmate tried to kill himself on three occasions.

The report went on: "The Commissioner of Prisons raised concerns in regard to the health risks associated with smoking in prison facilities.

"While a number of options were considered no decision was made on how best to deal with the problem.

"The TOOB, however, favours a policy that would limit smoking to designated areas.''