Reentry and Substance Abuse
The majority of people in prison and jail have a substance use disorder.1 Despite the promise demonstrated by some treatment programs for people who are incarcerated, just a fraction of the people who need services for substance abuse receive it.2 Connecting people incarcerated to treatment programs proven to be effective, prioritizing resources for those nearing release, and encouraging community-based aftercare will ensure better outcomes for people released from prisons and jails, and the communities to which they return.
Announcements
2/15/06 — On February 9, 2006 the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security heard testimony in support of the substance abuse treatment provisions in the Second Chance Act (H.R. 1704). The panel witnesses included Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse; Ken Batten, Director of the Office of Substance Abuse Services at the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Substance Abuse Services; Pamela Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities; and Lorna Hogan from the Rebecca Project for Human Rights.
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Justice Center Work
The Justice Center, in partnership with the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors and national experts in substance use disorders, is developing a behavioral health blueprint for policymakers seeking to reinvest in the expansion and improvement of behavioral health care services, including substance abuse treatment, to reduce recidivism among people on probation and parole. |
In the Report
The Report of the Re-Entry Policy Council is a comprehensive guide for policymakers and practitioners interested in addressing the challenges people face when they are released from prisons and jails.
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Reentry in Action
A number of criminal justice and mental health organizations and agencies have developed programs and initiatives to respond to individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders. Check back soon for program descriptions |
Additional Resources
Check out relevant news clips and publications about substance use and reentry. Most recent additions: |