Evans, E. A., Wilson, D., & Friedmann, P. D. (2022). Recidivism and mortality after in-jail buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder. Drug and alcohol dependence, 231, 109254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109254 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35063323/ 

This study focused on recidivism and mortality rates of individuals who received buprenorphine while in jail after release. Two jails in Massachusetts (Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Hampshire County House of Corrections) participated in the study. All adults who were released from the jails between January 1, 2015 and April 30, 2019 who had a diagnosed OUD were included in this study (EMR records were used). No individuals received MOUD at the Hampshire County House of Corrections, but 93.4% of individuals included in the study from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office received MOUD. This study found that 48.2% of participants from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office recidivated, while 62.5% at the Hampshire County House of Corrections recidivated. After release, 6 participants from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office died, 2 being due to overdose. 8 participants from the Hampshire County House of Corrections and 5 were due to overdose. 

Bottom Line: MOUD during incarceration was correlated with lower rates of recidivism and deaths due to overdose.