SJC Exchange Library

Originally posted by Wanda Bertram on 01/30/2024

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Hello friends,

There is a common myth among law enforcement, policymakers, and sometimes even the loved ones of incarcerated people: 

"Sometimes a prison or jail stint is the best thing that can happen to someone facing addiction -- they can get the help they need."

In a new briefing released this morning, we bust this myth using data that shows prisons and jails rarely provide the most effective treatments for substance use disorder (SUD), leaving those struggling with the condition to manage it on their own. We also explain that when people are released from prison or jail, they rarely get help connecting with treatment or other resources.

A few of the key takeaways from the piece: 

• Half of the people in state prisons had a substance use disorder. However, only 1 in 10 received any sort of clinical treatment.
• Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) - which is considered the most effective treatment for substance use disorders - is the least commonly provided treatment in jails. Only 24% of jails continue MAT for people already receiving treatment, while only 19% initiate treatment for those not already on it.
• MAT is similarly rare in prisons, with only 1% of people with substance use disorders in state in federal prisons reporting receiving the treatment at any point since their admission.

Importantly, our briefing explains that rather than providing proven treatments to address drug use behind bars, prisons and jails turn to punitive measures, like mail-scanning and visitation restrictions.

This briefing makes clear that communities that have been hit hard by the opioid epidemic and other drug crises cannot simply arrest their way out of the problem. Jails and prisons are not healthcare institutions, and nothing they do can change that. Instead, communities must provide evidence-based care - outside of the prison or jail walls - to those who want and need it. 

You can find the briefing at: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2024/01/30/punishing-drug-use/

We hope this is useful in your work. Please reach out if you have any questions.

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Wanda Bertram
Communications Strategist
Prison Policy Initiative
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