More arrests won’t end the opioid crisis

For decades, we have addressed the drug problem by increasing arrests, but this approach has not achieved any consequences. Today, more than 2 million people are incarcerated, and another five million live under some form of criminal justice oversight. The punitive drug laws and long sentences have filled our prisons with people with disproportionate substance use disorders. Approximately two-thirds of the prison population have substance use disorders, and opioid use disorder is the most common and serious disorder. An estimated 15% of people incarcerated live with opioid use disorders, but fewer than 10% are receiving effective treatment. But the danger doesn’t end at the gates of the prison. People who have been recently released from prison are up to 40 times more likely to die from overdose than the general population.

Why is the risk so high?

Those involved in justice with opioid use disorders are uniquely vulnerable. Intravenous use is common, polydrug use is extensive, and access to medications such as methadone and buprenorphine, which are the gold standards of treatment, is limited in the orthodontic environment.

After release, reduced resistance can be fatal even with small amounts of opioids. Adds risks of unstable housing, poor health, unemployment, old environment pull, and risks recurrence It will dramatically overdose spikes.

A functional strategy

I know what can help. The problem is to make these solutions standard rather than exceptions.

• Pre-retirement program. Instead of arresting people for low-level drug offences, detour programs link them to treatment and services. Programs like Paari and Lead receive nationally Note And reduced recidivism and overdose showed promising results. However, to truly maximize their impact, these programs need to be made available across only a few cities, making them open to more than “first time” criminals.
• Drug Treatment Court. These professional court addresses Addictive The underlying cause is to link people to care instead of long prison sentences. They can reduce drug use crimeHowever, there are still barriers such as fees. medicine– Based treatments, and strict eligibility rules that keep out many people who can benefit.
• Medicine treatment in a justice setting. Methadone and buprenorphine save lives, reduce drug use and reduce re-arrest rates. But many prisons, prisons, and even drug treatment courts have refused to clung to them to the outdated myth of “replacing one drug with another.” That belief is at the expense of life.
• Naloxone access. This overdose reversal should be a standard issue not only for police, families and community organizations, but for those leaving prison. It’s easy to use, relatively inexpensive and has been proven to be lifesaving.
• Behavioral Health Crisis Team. Currently, some cities are sending behavioral health teams to non-violent addiction-related 911 calls on behalf of police. Programs such as the CAHOOTS (Road Crisis Support) in Colorado and Denverstar (Support Team Assisted) are committed to treating people and preventing real-time overdose.

I’ll move forward

These are not radical ideas. They are evidence-based solutions that already work in pockets across the country. but Stigmainconsistent policies and funding gaps prevent them from becoming standard practice.

If we really want to reduce overdose and prevent people from cycling in and out of the judiciary system, we need to act on what we already know: expanding our detour programme. Removes barriers to drug treatment courts. Make medication treatments and naloxone available to everyone who needs them. Expand the crisis response team.

Tools are available. The actual test is whether they are determined to base them on them, and every delay puts more lives at risk in the face of an overdose crisis.