Access to Treatment in Jails and Prisons
Albizu-García, C. E., Caraballo, J. N., Caraballo-Correa, G., Hernández-Viver, A., & Román-Badenas, L. (2012). Assessing need for medication-assisted treatment for opiate- dependent prison inmates. Substance abuse, 33(1), 60–69.
This study found that while the MAT program in Puerto Rico’s correctional facilities could only accommodate 44 male participants, 308 individuals (male and female) were eligible for the MAT program, other insights were also gained into the program and recommendations for program expansion were provided.
Aronowitz, S. V., & Laurent, J. (2016). Screaming Behind a Door: The Experiences of Individuals Incarcerated Without Medication-Assisted Treatment. Journal of correctional health care : the official journal of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 22(2), 98–108. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078345816634079
This dissertation examined how tapering from MOUD when initially incarcerated can be stressful and create issues for inmates and staff members.
Barglow P. (2018). Commentary: The opioid overdose epidemic: Evidence-based interventions. The American journal on addictions, 27(8), 605–607. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajad.12823
Demand reduction, supply reduction, and harm reduction are all useful interventions and are best when utilized together.
Binswanger I. A. (2019). Opioid Use Disorder and Incarceration – Hope for Ensuring the Continuity of Treatment. The New England journal of medicine, 380(13), 1193–1195. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1900069
This article provides information and anecdotes to explain the importance of MOUD access in correctional facilities.
Bone, C., Eysenbach, L., Bell, K., & Barry, D. T. (2018). Our Ethical Obligation to Treat Opioid Use Disorder in Prisons: A Patient and Physician’s Perspective. The Journal of law, medicine & ethics : a journal of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 46(2), 268–271. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073110518782933
Availability of MOUD treatment in correctional facilities could lead to some individuals entering treatment while in the community because they would not be fearful of having to go through withdrawals if they were incarcerated.
Brezel, E. R., Powell, T., & Fox, A. D. (2020). An ethical analysis of medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for persons who are incarcerated. Substance abuse, 41(2), 150–154. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2019.1695706
This article explains why reasons commonly referenced by correctional facilities for not providing MOUD treatment are unethical.
Brolin, M., Dennehy, K., Booxbaum, A., & Horgan, C. (2015). Improving Access to Substance Abuse Treatment and Reducing Incarceration and Recidivism. Issue brief (Massachusetts Health Policy Forum), (44), 1–46.
This issue brief explains Massachusetts’ plan for increasing access to substance use treatment with the aim of reducing incarceration and recidivism.
Farahmand, P., Modesto-Lowe, V., & Chaplin, M. M. (2017). Prescribing Opioid Replacement Therapy in U.S. Correctional Settings. The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 45(4), 472–477.
This article discusses the importance of availability of MOUD during incarceration, as it can reduce relapse and overdoses, as well as increase community treatment engagement.
Finlay, A. K., Harris, A. H., Rosenthal, J., Blue-Howells, J., Clark, S., McGuire, J., Timko, C., Frayne, S. M., Smelson, D., Oliva, E., & Binswanger, I. (2016). Receipt of pharmacotherapy for opioid use disorder by justice-involved U.S. Veterans Health Administration patients. Drug and alcohol dependence, 160, 222–226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.01.013
This study found that less than 1/3 of veterans involved in the criminal justice system received MOUD treatment (27% who were prison-involved and 34% who were jail or court-involved).
Flanagan Balawajder E, Ducharme L, Taylor BG, et al. Factors Associated With the Availability of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in US Jails. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(9):e2434704. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.34704
In this study, 1028 jails completed surveys about MOUD availability at their facility.
Fox, A. D., Maradiaga, J., Weiss, L., Sanchez, J., Starrels, J. L., & Cunningham, C. O. (2015). Release from incarceration, relapse to opioid use and the potential for buprenorphine maintenance treatment: a qualitative study of the perceptions of former inmates with opioid use disorder. Addiction science & clinical practice, 10(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-014-0023-0
This study completed 21 interviews with individuals who had been incarcerated to gain insight into barriers and facilitators to buprenorphine treatment post release and found most participants believed buprenorphine is a good treatment option, however, may be reluctant to begin treatment upon re-entry.
Green, T. C., Clarke, J., Brinkley-Rubinstein, L., Marshall, B. D. L., Alexander-Scott, N., Boss, R., & Rich, J. D. (2018). Postincarceration Fatal Overdoses After Implementing Medications for Addiction Treatment in a Statewide Correctional System. JAMA psychiatry, 75(4), 405–407. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.4614
It was found that after the introduction of a comprehensive MAT program at correctional facilities in Rhode Island, there was a 60.5% reduction in overdose deaths from 2016 to 2017 for individuals who had recently been incarcerated.
Larney, S., Gisev, N., Farrell, M., Dobbins, T., Burns, L., Gibson, A., Kimber, J., & Degenhardt, L. (2014). Opioid substitution therapy as a strategy to reduce deaths in prison: retrospective cohort study. BMJ open, 4(4), e004666. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004666
Participation in OST dramatically decreased mortality risk in prison: 74% in general and 87% in unnatural death.
Lincoln, T., Johnson, B. D., McCarthy, P., & Alexander, E. (2018). Extended-release naltrexone for opioid use disorder started during or following incarceration. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 85, 97–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2017.04.002
This study found that participants who began extended-release naltrexone treatment during incarceration had higher rates of treatment retention (55% were still in treatment at week 4, 36% at week 8 and 21% at week 24) compared to those who began treatment after release (25% were still in treatment at week 4, 25% at week 8 and 15% at week 24).
Malta, M., Varatharajan, T., Russell, C., Pang, M., Bonato, S., & Fischer, B. (2019). Opioid-related treatment, interventions, and outcomes among incarcerated persons: A systematic review. PLoS medicine, 16(12), e1003002. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003002
This systematic review of 46 articles found that MOUD during incarceration has been found to be beneficial before, during and after incarceration to decrease risks associated with active opioid use.
Molfenter, T., Vechinski, J., Taxman, F. S., Breno, A. J., Shaw, C. C., & Perez, H. A. (2021). Fostering MOUD use in justice populations: Assessing the comparative effectiveness of two favored implementation strategies to increase MOUD use. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 128, 108370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108370
Coaching has been found to be helpful in addressing barriers and improving implementation, however, there has not been much research into how effective coaching is for criminal justice settings.
Moore, K. E., Roberts, W., Reid, H. H., Smith, K. M. Z., Oberleitner, L. M. S., & McKee, S. A. (2019). Effectiveness of medication assisted treatment for opioid use in prison and jail settings: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 99, 32–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2018.12.003
A meta-analysis of 24 articles found that MOUD treatment during incarceration has been found to be effective in increasing rates of continued treatment in the community and decreasing illicit opioid use.
Ryan, D. A., Montoya, I. D., Koutoujian, P. J., Siddiqi, K., Hayes, E., Jeng, P. J., Cadet, T., McCollister, K. E., & Murphy, S. M. (2023). Budget impact tool for the incorporation of medications for opioid use disorder into jail/prison facilities. Journal of substance use and addiction treatment, 146, 208943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.josat.2022.208943
The budget tool created by this study can help identify resources and costs needed for an MOUD program in a correctional facility.
Scott, C. K., Dennis, M. L., Grella, C. E., Mischel, A. F., & Carnevale, J. (2021). The impact of the opioid crisis on U.S. state prison systems. Health & justice, 9(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-021-00143-9
In states where the overdose rates were higher than the national average, it was found that 39% of prisons provided at least one form of MOUD, only 7% provided all 3, and 61% of prisons provided no MOUD.
Scott, C. K., Grella, C. E., Dennis, M. L., Carnevale, J., & LaVallee, R. (2022). Availability of best practices for opioid use disorder in jails and related training and resource needs: findings from a national interview study of jails in heavily impacted counties in the U.S. Health & justice, 10(1), 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-022-00197-3
This study surveyed jails in 244 counties with high rates of OUD to see how well the ten best practices for MOUD treatment were utilized and it was found that 70% of jails that participated in the study stated they utilized all ten practices in some capacity.
“To Save Lives, Prioritize Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder In Correctional Facilities”, Health Affairs Forefront, June 22, 2022. DOI: 10.1377/forefront.20220615.871779
Access to MOUD for individuals who are incarcerated has been slowly improving and this article addresses how to continue to improve access.
Toyoshima, T., McNiel, D. E., Schonfeld, A., & Binder, R. (2021). The Evolving Medicolegal Precedent for Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in U.S. Jails and Prisons. The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 49(4), 545–552. https://doi.org/10.29158/JAAPL.200127-20
Legal cases and studies are discussed which support the use of MOUD in carceral settings, specifically due to the Eighth Amendment and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Access to Treatment for Pregnant People Who are Incarcerated
King, Z., Kramer, C., Latkin, C., & Sufrin, C. (2021). Access to treatment for pregnant incarcerated people with opioid use disorder: Perspectives from community opioid treatment providers. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 126, 108338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108338
This study discussed various barriers to MOUD treatment pregnant people face both in jail and in the community, including some jails not offering MOUD access.
Peeler, M., Fiscella, K., Terplan, M., & Sufrin, C. (2019). Best Practices for Pregnant Incarcerated Women With Opioid Use Disorder. Journal of correctional health care : the official journal of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 25(1), 4–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/1078345818819855
This article provides recommendations for matching the standard of care during incarceration for pregnant people with OUD to the care provided to pregnant people in the community.
Sufrin, C., Kramer, C. T., Terplan, M., Fiscella, K., Olson, S., Voegtline, K., & Latkin, C. (2022). Availability of Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder Among Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals in US Jails. JAMA network open, 5(1), e2144369. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.44369
Of the jails that responded to the survey, only 31.9% offered both initiation and continuation of MOUD for pregnant people and 28.3% only offered continuation.
Sufrin, C., Sutherland, L., Beal, L., Terplan, M., Latkin, C., & Clarke, J. G. (2020). Opioid use disorder incidence and treatment among incarcerated pregnant women in the United States: results from a national surveillance study. Addiction (Abingdon, England), 115(11), 2057–2065. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.15030
26% of incarcerated pregnant people and 14% in jails met criteria for OUD, and the majority of facilities offered MOUD to pregnant people, however, usually only continuation and not initiation.
Implementation Challenges
Banta-Green, C. J., Floyd, A. S., Vick, K., Arthur, J., Hoeft, T. J., & Tsui, J. I. (2019). Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Decision Making And Care Navigation Upon Release From Prison: A Feasibility Study. Substance abuse and rehabilitation, 10, 57–67. https://doi.org/10.2147/SAR.S192045
While low enrollment made generalizability difficult (15 individuals participated in this study), overall, participants found help from care navigators beneficial.
Brinkley-Rubinstein, L., Peterson, M., Clarke, J., Macmadu, A., Truong, A., Pognon, K., Parker, M., Marshall, B. D. L., Green, T., Martin, R., Stein, L., & Rich, J. D. (2019). The benefits and implementation challenges of the first state-wide comprehensive medication for addictions program in a unified jail and prison setting. Drug and alcohol dependence, 205, 107514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.06.016
This study gained insight into the benefits and challenges of MOUD treatment during incarceration from individuals who were incarcerated, including withdrawal management, overall environment improvement, treatment delays and limited help in treatment planning for after release.
Burns, R. M., Pacula, R. L., Bauhoff, S., Gordon, A. J., Hendrikson, H., Leslie, D. L., & Stein, B. D. (2016). Policies related to opioid agonist therapy for opioid use disorders: The evolution of state policies from 2004 to 2013. Substance abuse, 37(1), 63–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2015.1080208
This article explains how many states have increased access to MOUD treatment for individuals with Medicaid, while also creating policies that form barriers to treatment.
Csete J. (2019). Criminal Justice Barriers to Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders in the United States: The Need for Public Health Advocacy. American journal of public health, 109(3), 419–422. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304852
This article advocates for health professionals’ involvement in decreasing the barriers that exist for individuals involved in the criminal justice system seeking MOUD.
Ferguson, W. J., Johnston, J., Clarke, J. G., Koutoujian, P. J., Maurer, K., Gallagher, C., White, J., Nickl, D., & Taxman, F. S. (2019). Advancing the implementation and sustainment of medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorders in prisons and jails. Health & justice, 7(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-019-0100-2
MOUD programs from 4 different jail and prison systems were looked at to gain insight into the barriers and facilitators of having an MOUD program in correctional facilities and one system was successful in increasing the number of individuals who had access to MOUD.
Friedmann, P. D., Hoskinson, R., Gordon, M., Schwartz, R., Kinlock, T., Knight, K., Flynn, P. M., Welsh, W. N., Stein, L. A., Sacks, S., O’Connell, D. J., Knudsen, H. K., Shafer, M. S., Hall, E., Frisman, L. K., & Mat Working Group Of CJ-Dats (2012). Medication-assisted treatment in criminal justice agencies affiliated with the criminal justice-drug abuse treatment studies (CJ-DATS): availability, barriers, and intentions. Substance abuse, 33(1), 9–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2011.611460
This study found that lack of knowledge about MOUD, preference for abstinence-focused recovery, and lack of funding for community treatment programs effected access to MOUD for individuals involved in the criminal justice system.
Grella, C. E., Ostile, E., Scott, C. K., Dennis, M., & Carnavale, J. (2020). A Scoping Review of Barriers and Facilitators to Implementation of Medications for Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder within the Criminal Justice System. The International journal on drug policy, 81, 102768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102768
A scoping review of 53 articles on MOUD implementation in the criminal justice system found that there are more barriers than facilitators for treatment.
Krawczyk, N., Bandara, S., Merritt, S., Shah, H., Duncan, A., McEntee, B., Schiff, M., Ahmad, N. J., Whaley, S., Latimore, A., & Saloner, B. (2022). Jail-based treatment for opioid use disorder in the era of bail reform: a qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to implementation of a state-wide medication treatment initiative. Addiction science & clinical practice, 17(1), 30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-022-00313-6
Surveys and qualitative interviews with 11 correctional facilities were conducted to gain insight into barriers and facilitators that effect MOUD treatment in correctional facilities, including funding, unpredictable lengths of stay, limited community resources, improving the intake process, giving bridge prescriptions, and establishing relationships with community treatment programs.
Pivovarova, E., Evans, E. A., Stopka, T. J., Santelices, C., Ferguson, W. J., & Friedmann, P. D. (2022). Legislatively mandated implementation of medications for opioid use disorders in jails: A qualitative study of clinical, correctional, and jail administrator perspectives. Drug and alcohol dependence, 234, 109394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109394
61 jail and contracted staff members from seven county jails participated in interviews and focus groups concerning MOUD treatment at their facilities and it was found that for implementation of MOUD programs to be successful, collaboration and flexibility from those involved is necessary.
Treitler, P. C., Enich, M., Reeves, D., & Crystal, S. (2022). Medications for opioid use disorder in state prisons: Perspectives of formerly incarcerated persons. Substance abuse, 43(1), 964–971. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2022.2060448
Of 53 individuals who participated in this study, the majority of participants who received MOUD during and after incarceration found it helpful, however, many barriers to treatment exist.
Effects of COVID-19 on MOUD Access
Dadiomov, D., Trotzky-Sirr, R., Shooshtari, A., & Qato, D. M. (2022). Changes in the availability of medications for opioid use disorder in prisons and jails in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drug and alcohol dependence, 232, 109291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109291
During the COVID-19 pandemic, MOUD accessibility has increased in U.S. prisons and jails by 471.3%.
Saunders, E. C., Satcher, M. F., Monico, L. B., McDonald, R. D., Springer, S. A., Farabee, D., Gryczynski, J., Nyaku, A., Reeves, D., Kunkel, L. E., Schultheis, A. M., Schwartz, R. P., Lee, J. D., Marsch, L. A., & Waddell, E. N. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on the treatment of opioid use disorder in carceral facilities: a cross-sectional study. Health & justice, 10(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-022-00199-1
Due to COVID-19, 3 carceral sites reported an increase in number of individuals in MOUD treatment, 2 carceral sites decreased in number, 4 community treatment programs had decreased numbers in enrollment, and 2 community treatment programs stopped or paused treatment.
Zaller, N., & Brinkley-Rubinstein, L. (2020). MOUD Provision in Correctional Settings During Time of COVID-19: Prevention and Solutions. Journal of addiction medicine, 14(6), e290–e292. https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000000758
The COVID-19 pandemic had the potential to decrease the level of care for MOUD treatment and this article outlines multiple ways to ensure treatment standards.
Post-incarceration Effects of MOUD During Incarceration
Brinkley-Rubinstein, L., McKenzie, M., Macmadu, A., Larney, S., Zaller, N., Dauria, E., & Rich, J. (2018). A randomized, open label trial of methadone continuation versus forced withdrawal in a combined US prison and jail: Findings at 12 months post-release. Drug and alcohol dependence, 184, 57–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.11.023
Individuals who received methadone treatment during incarceration were more likely to engage in treatment in the community and less likely to report heroin and injection drug use within 30 days, as well as non-fatal overdoses after 12-months.
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
MOUD during incarceration was correlated with lower rates of recidivism and deaths due to overdose.
Friedmann, P. D., Wilson, D., Hoskinson, R., Jr, Poshkus, M., & Clarke, J. G. (2018). Initiation of extended release naltrexone (XR-NTX) for opioid use disorder prior to release from prison. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 85, 45–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2017.04.010
While the sample size was small (15 individuals participated in this study), this study found that extended-release injectable naltrexone treatment before release from prison was correlated with continuing treatment after release and longer time to relapse.
Haas, A., Viera, A., Doernberg, M., Barbour, R., Tong, G., Grau, L. E., & Heimer, R. (2021). Post-incarceration outcomes for individuals who continued methadone treatment while in Connecticut jails, 2014-2018. Drug and alcohol dependence, 227, 108937. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108937
This study found that methadone treatment during incarceration increased the likelihood of a person continuing treatment after release, lowered risk of overdose, and increased length of time until fatal overdoses.
Macmadu, A., Goedel, W. C., Adams, J. W., Brinkley-Rubinstein, L., Green, T. C., Clarke, J. G., Martin, R. A., Rich, J. D., & Marshall, B. D. L. (2020). Estimating the impact of wide scale uptake of screening and medications for opioid use disorder in US prisons and jails. Drug and alcohol dependence, 208, 107858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.107858
The model used in this study estimated 1,840 lives would have been saved if MOUD was available in prisons and jails, and 4,480 lives would have been saved if MOUD treatment began in a correctional facility and continued in the community.
Martin, R. A., Alexander-Scott, N., Berk, J., Carpenter, R. W., Kang, A., Hoadley, A., Kaplowitz, E., Hurley, L., Rich, J. D., & Clarke, J. G. (2022). Post-incarceration outcomes of a comprehensive statewide correctional MOUD program: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet regional health. Americas, 18, 100419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.100419
MOUD treatment during incarceration was linked to higher rates of continued treatment after release and lower rates of overdose deaths.
McMillan, G. P., Lapham, S., & Lackey, M. (2008). The effect of a jail methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) program on inmate recidivism. Addiction (Abingdon, England), 103(12), 2017–2023. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02361.x
This study found that methadone treatment during incarceration had no effect on recidivism.
Miscellaneous
Andraka-Christou, B., Gabriel, M., Madeira, J., & Silverman, R. D. (2019). Court personnel attitudes towards medication-assisted treatment: A state-wide survey. Journal of substance abuse treatment, 104, 72–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2019.06.011
Criminal justice personnel who work in court settings had more positive attitudes toward extended-release naltrexone than methadone and buprenorphine, possibly due to lack of formal education on MOUD.
Csete, J., Kamarulzaman, A., Kazatchkine, M., Altice, F., Balicki, M., Buxton, J., Cepeda, J., Comfort, M., Goosby, E., Goulão, J., Hart, C., Kerr, T., Lajous, A. M., Lewis, S., Martin, N., Mejía, D., Camacho, A., Mathieson, D., Obot, I., Ogunrombi, A., … Beyrer, C. (2016). Public health and international drug policy. Lancet (London, England), 387(10026), 1427–1480. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)00619-X
Policies prohibiting drugs that are believed by some policymakers to increase public health and safety may actually be contributing to public health and safety concerns.
Ducharme, L. J., & Abraham, A. J. (2008). State policy influence on the early diffusion of buprenorphine in community treatment programs. Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 3, 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/1747-597X-3-17
This study looked at how funding for state agencies and the inclusion of buprenorphine on Medicaid effect patients’ access to the medication.
Gordon, M. S., Vocci, F. J., Fitzgerald, T. T., O’Grady, K. E., & O’Brien, C. P. (2017). Extended release naltrexone for pre-release prisoners: A randomized trial of medical mobile treatment. Contemporary clinical trials, 53, 130–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2016.12.015
The study described in this article would aim to see if providing extended-release naltrexone injections at a patient’s residence after release from incarceration (after initiating treatment during incarceration) would be more effective in treatment retention than needing to go to an appointment for their injection.
Ludwig, A. S., & Peters, R. H. (2014). Medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorders in correctional settings: an ethics review. The International journal on drug policy, 25(6), 1041–1046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.08.015
This article explains why MOUD access during incarceration is ethical based on core ethical principles.
McMillan, & Lapham, S. C. (2005). Staff perspectives on methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) in a large southwestern jail. Addiction Research & Theory, 13(1), 53–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/16066350512331328159
This study found that staff at a correctional facility had strong, varying opinions on methadone treatment for individuals in jail and recommended steps were provided for how to increase support for methadone treatment among staff members.
Møller, L. F., Matic, S., van den Bergh, B. J., Moloney, K., Hayton, P., & Gatherer, A. (2010). Acute drug-related mortality of people recently released from prisons. Public health, 124(11), 637–639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2010.08.012
This article discusses the prevalence of overdose deaths of individuals recently released from incarceration and possible responses to this epidemic.
Murphy, S. M., & Polsky, D. (2016). Economic Evaluations of Opioid Use Disorder Interventions. PharmacoEconomics, 34(9), 863–887. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40273-016-0400-5
In this study, economic evaluations of MOUD found that they are associated with lower healthcare costs and methadone treatment was associated with lower criminal justice costs, however there is limited literature concerning buprenorphine and naltrexone.
Peterson, M., Rich, J., Macmadu, A., Truong, A. Q., Green, T. C., Beletsky, L., Pognon, K., & Brinkley-Rubinstein, L. (2019). “One guy goes to jail, two people are ready to take his spot”: Perspectives on drug-induced homicide laws among incarcerated individuals. The International journal on drug policy, 70, 47–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.05.001
This study gained insight into the perceptions of drug-induced homicide laws from individuals who are incarcerated, how they may contribute to overdoses and how they may limit OUD treatment access to individuals involved in the criminal justice system.
