Prioritize SUD Treatment Over Incarceration
Introductory Paragraph
More than half of the prison population in the United States, about 65%, is estimated to have an active Substance Use Disorder. About 20 % who did not fully meet the criteria for a substance use disorder were under the influence of substances at the time of their arrest. Many of the individuals in prison for drug-related offenses and even those for other crimes, are not receiving treatment and have a high risk of reoffending once released. Failure to provide adequate and high-quality substance use treatment is not only detrimental to the individuals who are incarcerated but also has negative implications for their families, society, and the economy. Recent data shows a significant correlation between criminal justice involvement and substance use, highlighting the importance of identifying a different approach to the problem. Offering treatment to individuals with a substance use disorder should be a priority according to decades of the impact treatment has on an individual’s quality of life, reduced likelihood of recidivism, and future relapse. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has increased its efforts to find solutions and support to those who work within the court system, social workers, and counselors who provide services to individuals involved in the criminal justice system due to drug use [1].
Key Information
Please capture a deeper dive of the content in this section, to include any relevant subtopics or important things happening in the field the reader should be situationally aware of right now. You may have multiple paragraphs here with subtitles, if needed. While are not the experts and do not need to write out every detail about the subtopic like a research paper, we should make an attempt to fully capture the landscape of important things to know and link to any external information that may be helpful if the reader wants to learn more information.
Relevant Research
In this section, please capture any recent findings, reports, or data on the topic. Please also highlight any gaps or existing disparities. Please include references and links to the information so that we may add a footnote for the reader to find further information. Do we have any available research about discriminatory practices? Is there information about the value of access to educational opportunities?
Impactful Federal, State, and Local Policies
Please list any federal, state, or local laws, policies, or regulations that support this topic or ones that could be a possible barrier. Are there laws or policies other states should know about and replicate for success?
Available Tools and Resources
Oftentimes, there are already great resources in the field that have been developed, but they are not housed in a single place. Please use this section to share information about those resources and drive the reader to that resource. It may be a worksheet, toolkit, fact sheet, framework/model, infographic, new technology, etc. I suggest no more than 5 really good links and a corresponding description for the reader. We also can use this section to highlight some of the great resources and programs at SAFE Project.
Promising Practices
Please link to any best practice models or case studies that highlight creative/innovative or successful efforts in support of this strategy. Is there a community that does a really good job in this area that other communities should replicate? Please write a brief description and provide a link.