The Role of the Criminal Justice System in Substance Abuse Treatment

Abstract

The criminal justice system (CJS) is one of the largest providers of mental health and substance abuse treatment in the United States. Millions of individuals cycle through the system each year, many of whom suffer from substance abuse disorders. While these numbers are substantial, they can also be viewed as opportunities to intervene in the drug-using trajectories of incarcerated individuals. Presently, less than one-fifth of those requiring substance abuse treatment in the CJS receives it, although investment has been made at the federal level to fund treatment programming through a number of grant programs ranging from drug courts to clinicians embedded in prisons and jails. This chapter provides insight into the role of the CJS in substance abuse treatment with attention to historical developments, current funding programs, and empirical evidence on what works with criminal justice populations. We conclude with policy recommendations regarding substance abuse treatment in the CJS and a call for reconsideration of the contemporary adjudication framework for drug offenders.

Navigating the Crossroads: An Examination of Family Dynamics Amidst Fathers’ Recovery from Substance Abuse

“…Studies exploring the efficacy of diverse SUD treatments have produced mixed findings. Residential therapy settings seem to offer better outcomes in medical, social, and psychiatric indicators six months following programme completion compared to clients in therapeutic community settings (Miller and Lopez, 2022). Quasi-experimental studies indicate that residential therapy can result in reduced crime rates and less methamphetamine usage while leading to higher completion rates and client retention relative to outpatient programmes (Witkiewitz et al, 2022).…”

“…In the field of addiction, there exists a significant group of individuals who face the challenge of maintaining strong familial relationships while struggling with substance abuse. According to Miller and Lopez (2022), over 16 million people in the United States engage in some form of substance misuse, leading to detrimental consequences such as high healthcare treatment costs and criminal justice expenses, which reach upwards of $100 billion annually. Moreover, a considerable proportion of men who seek treatment for substance abuse identify as biological fathers (Fitzgerald et al, 2020).…”