The activities of authorised agencies such as police, customs, border services, and investigative bodies to enforce drug control laws and address criminal activities related to the production, trafficking, and distribution of illicit substances. These activities may include investigations, intelligence gathering, interdiction, and collaboration with national and international partners to disrupt organised crime networks. Law enforcement plays an important role in protecting public safety and maintaining the rule of law, and is most effective when coordinated with broader public health, prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts as part of a balanced and comprehensive response to substance use.
Law Enforcement
Impact of opioid maintenance therapy in the community on re-incarceration in individuals with opioid use disorder—A linked cohort study
Abstract Introduction Studies have found associations between Opioid Agonist Maintenance Treatment during incarceration and reduced recidivism among recently released formerly incarcerated persons. However, the role of community-based...
A Call for Trauma-Informed Justice Reform in Nigeria: Breaking the Cycle of Substance Use, Mental Illness, and Incarceration
By Seye Omiyefa Across Nigeria and many parts of the world, thousands of individuals, particularly youth and economically marginalized people, are trapped in a revolving door of arrest, incarceration, and reentry. Much of this cycle is...
Psychological interventions for antisocial personality disorder.
Abstract Background: Antisocial personality disorder (AsPD) is associated with poor mental health, criminality, substance use and relationship difficulties. This review updates Gibbon 2010 (previous version of the review). Objectives: To...
A systematic review of motivational interviewing to address substance use with justice-involved adults.
Background: Motivational Interviewing (MI) is widely used in substance abuse treatment, possibly due to the short sessions and the treatment’s cost-effectiveness. Previous research has established the efficacy of MI among a broad range of...
Assessing the delivery of the thinking for a change program in modified formats: An experimental approach.
Abstract This paper evaluates whether participation in the Thinking for a Change cognitive behavioural program produces improvement in social problem solving skills in a prison context. Data are derived from a randomised experiment, with a...
Evidence-based treatment and supervision practices for co-occurring mental and substance use disorders in the criminal justice system.
ABSTRACT Background: Over seven million persons in the United States are supervised by the criminal justice system, including many who have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders (CODs). This population is at high risk for...
A meta‐analytic review of the efficacy of psychological treatments for violent offenders in correctional and forensic mental health settings.
Abstract This meta‐analysis examined whether psychological treatments with adult violent offenders in correctional and forensic mental health settings are effective in preventing community recidivism and institutional (hospital/prison)...
Effectiveness of psychological interventions in prison to reduce recidivism: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
Summary Background Repeat offending, also known as criminal recidivism, in people released from prison has remained high over many decades. To address this, psychological treatments have been increasingly used in criminal justice settings...
Evidence-based treatment and supervision practices for co-occurring mental and substance use disorders in the criminal justice system.
Abstract Background: Over seven million persons in the United States are supervised by the criminal justice system, including many who have co-occurring mental and substance use disorders (CODs). This population is at high risk for...
Seattle’s law enforcement assisted diversion (LEAD): Program effects on criminal justice and legal system utilization and costs.
Abstract Objectives We evaluated a prebooking law enforcement assisted diversion (LEAD) program (i.e., initial diversion from the criminal justice system paired with harm-reduction case management and legal assistance to individuals with...