Completing a six-month substance use disorder treatment in lieu of arrest and prosecution for minor crimes may reduce the risk of arrest, incarceration or fatal overdose, according to a new study
Pre-arrest diversion-to-treatment programs that focus on long-term treatment for substance use disorder may reduce crime recidivism, incarceration and overdose deaths, according to new study led by a research team from Penn State College of Medicine.
Diversion programs aim to connect individuals who have committed a crime to programs or services as an alternative to the criminal justice system, avoiding prosecution and arrest. The research team evaluated the Madison Area Recovery Initiative (MARI), a community-wide, law-enforcement-led program in Madison, Wisconsin. They found that people who committed non-violent, minor drug-use related crimes and who received a clinical assessment and six months of individualized treatment were less likely to be arrested, incarcerated or have a fatal overdose in the year following their initial arrest.
Tags: Addiction Services Prearrest Diversion Programs Programs Recovery Assistance