The majority of Drug Treatment Court (DTC) research has
examined the impact of DTCs on criminal recidivism. Comparatively little
research has addressed the association between DTC participation and engagement
with community-based health and social services. The present study investigated
changes in participant involvement with outpatient healthcare and income
assistance within a DTC cohort. We hypothesized that involvement with
community-based (outpatient) health and social services would increase post-DTC
participation, and that service levels would be higher among program graduates
and offenders with histories of co-occurring mental and substance use disorders.
Participants were 631 offenders at the DTC in Vancouver,
Canada (DTCV). Administrative data representing hospital, outpatient medical
care, and income assistance were examined one-year pre/post program to assess
differences over time. Generalized estimating equations were used to
investigate the association between changes in service use and program
involvement. We also examined the relationship between level of service use and
offender characteristics.
Members of the cohort were disproportionately Aboriginal
(33 %), had been sentenced 2.7 times in the 2 years preceding their
index offence, and 50 % had been diagnosed with a non substance-related
mental disorder in the five years preceding the index offence. The mean number
of outpatient services post DTCV was 51, and the mean amount of social
assistance paid was $5,897. Outpatient service use increased following exposure
to DTCV (Adjusted Rate Ratio (ARR) = 1.45) and was significantly higher among
women (ARR = 1.47), program graduation (ARR = 1.23), and those previously
diagnosed with concurrent substance use and mental disorders (ARR = 4.92).
Overall, hospital admissions did not increase post-program, although rates were
significantly higher among women (ARR = 1.76) and those with concurrent
disorders (ARR = 2.71). Income assistance increased significantly post program
(ARR = 1.16), and was significantly higher among women (ARR = 1.03), and those
diagnosed with substance use disorders (ARR = 1.42) and concurrent disorders
(ARR = 1.72).
These findings suggest that the DTCV was a catalyst for
increased participant engagement with community health and social supports, and
that rates of service use were consistently higher among women and individuals
with concurrent disorders. Research is needed to investigate the potential link
between health and social support and reductions in recidivism associated with
DTCs
Full article at: http://goo.gl/URGCfM
By:
- 1Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada. sra20@sfu.ca.
- 2Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada. akm_moniruzzaman@sfu.ca.
- 3British Columbia Corrections, PO Box 9242, STN PROV GOV, Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 9 J2, Canada. elenore.clark@gov.bc.ca.
- 4Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada. jsomers@sfu.ca.
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