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Opioid substitution treatment (OST) in prison to reduce criminal justice outcomes

Summary of the evidence

Rating
  • Unknown effectiveness

Opioid substitution treatment with methadone provided during incarceration was found in a systematic review (Moore et al 2019) to

  • have no significant effect in reducing recidivism (4 studies; n=400; OR= 0.93, 95% CI=0.51; 1.68)

The same results are confirmed by a systematic review with meta-analysis (Strange et al., 2022) which found non-significant effects of OST in:

  • reincarceration (OR = 0.93 [0.68, 1.26], SE = .16)
  • rearrest (OR = 1.47 [0.70, 3.07], SE = 0.38)

Details

Note: this evidence summary is only valid for the outcomes, target groups, settings and substances/patterns of use described below.

Name of response option
  • Pharmacological treatment
Desired outcome(s)
  • reduce recidivism
Area(s)
  • Treatment
Specific substance or pattern of use
  • opioids
Target group(s) or setting(s)
  • prison

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