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Addiction Treatment Access and Utilization Among Criminal Justice Involved Populations

Addiction Treatment call for papers imageEdited by
Andrea Finlay, PhD, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, USA
Ingrid Binswanger, MD, MPH, MS, Kaiser Permanente, USA
Christine Timko, PhD, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, USA

People with criminal justice involvement – including people in jails or prisons, on diversion, at the time of arrest, or in community corrections – have a high prevalence of substance use disorders and may be at risk for poor health outcomes. During the transition from criminal justice contexts to the community, many individuals experience fragmented care which can interrupt treatment for addiction and other chronic health conditions. People with untreated substance use disorders may struggle to maintain housing, employment, and family relationships, which may further negatively impact their access to health care.

Despite research and programming dedicated to supporting criminal justice populations, important knowledge gaps remain. The editors hope that this thematic series in Addiction Science & Clinical Practice advances understanding of how to improve health outcomes among criminal justice populations who have substance use disorders or use substances in the U.S. and international settings.

Articles have undergone the journal’s standard peer-review process. The Guest Editors declare no competing interests.

  1. This special issue of Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, “Addiction treatment access and utilization among criminal justice involved populations”, presents a series of articles on substance use disorder tr...

    Authors: Andrea Finlay, Ingrid Binswanger and Christine Timko
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2020 15:5
    Content type: Editorial Published on:

  2. It has been estimated that approximately 15% of people who are incarcerated in the US have histories of opioid use disorder. Relapse to opioid use after release from prison poses a serious risk of HIV infectio...

    Authors: Thomas R. Blue, Michael S. Gordon, Robert P. Schwartz, Kathryn Couvillion, Frank J. Vocci, Terrence T. Fitzgerald and Kevin E. O’Grady
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2019 14:45
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. Post-release opioid-related overdose mortality is the leading cause of death among people released from jails or prisons (PRJP). Informed by the proximate determinants framework, this paper presents the Post-R...

    Authors: Paul J. Joudrey, Maria R. Khan, Emily A. Wang, Joy D. Scheidell, E. Jennifer Edelman, D. Keith McInnes and Aaron D. Fox
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2019 14:17
    Content type: Review Published on:

  4. Women recently released from incarceration have increased rates of co-occurring substance use, physical health, and mental health disorders. During re-entry, they face challenges navigating needed health servi...

    Authors: Katherine Thomas, John L. Wilson, Precious Bedell and Diane S. Morse
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2019 14:12
    Content type: Research Published on:

  6. Women experiencing incarceration (WEI) engage in high rates of sex- and drug-related behavior that places them at risk for HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an efficacious means of reducing HIV acquisiti...

    Authors: Susan E. Ramsey, Evan G. Ames, Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, Anne M. Teitelman, Jennifer Clarke and Clair Kaplan
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2019 14:8
    Content type: Study protocol Published on:

  7. More than 80% of people in jail or prison report having used illicit substances in their lifetimes. After release from incarceration, resumption of substance use carries risks, including parole revocation, exa...

    Authors: Adam Chamberlain, Sylviah Nyamu, Jenerius Aminawung, Emily A. Wang, Shira Shavit and Aaron D. Fox
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2019 14:7
    Content type: Research Published on:

  8. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States and is concentrated among disadvantaged populations, including individuals with a history of criminal justice involve...

    Authors: Tyler N. A. Winkelman, Katherine Diaz Vickery and Andrew M. Busch
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2019 14:2
    Content type: Research Published on:

  9. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and unhealthy drinking are prevalent among women involved in the criminal justice system and women military veterans. Pharmacotherapy—including naltrexone, topiramate, acamprosate, a...

    Authors: Emmeline Taylor, Christine Timko, Alex H. S. Harris, Mengfei Yu and Andrea K. Finlay
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2019 14:1
    Content type: Research Published on:

  10. The non-medical use of opioids has reached epidemic levels nationwide, and rural areas have been particularly affected by increasing rates of overdose mortality as well as increases in the prison population. I...

    Authors: Amanda M. Bunting, Carrie B. Oser, Michele Staton, Katherine S. Eddens and Hannah Knudsen
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2018 13:23
    Content type: Research Published on:

  11. Addiction treatment improves substance use and criminal recidivism outcomes among justice-involved individuals with substance use disorders, but is underutilized. Although information exists regarding barriers...

    Authors: Mandy D. Owens, Jessica A. Chen, Tracy L. Simpson, Christine Timko and Emily C. Williams
    Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2018 13:19
    Content type: Research Published on: