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Article
Publication date: 6 May 2021

Stephanie L. Taylor, Alexa J. Barrett, Albert M. Kopak and Norman G. Hoffmann

The female jail population is steadily growing in rural jails across the country. Detainees have high rates of mental health and substance use disorders, some of which are linked…

Abstract

Purpose

The female jail population is steadily growing in rural jails across the country. Detainees have high rates of mental health and substance use disorders, some of which are linked to violent offenses. These conditions include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder (PD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). This study aims to examine the associations between these disorders among females charged with violent offenses.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consists of 167 female detainees from local rural jails in the USA. To assess participants’ behavioral health, the Comprehensive Addictions and Psychological Evaluation – 5 (CAAPE-5) was administered. The associations between PTSD, PD, AUD and violent offenses were investigated using bivariate statistics and multivariate logistic regression.

Findings

Over half of the female detainees in the sample met criteria individually for PTSD, PD or AUD, substantiating previous work on prevalence rate. Of the sample, only 10% were charged with violent offenses, from which the predominant condition reported was PTSD. Among detainees arrested for violent offenses, 69% also met criteria for PTSD, 56% for AUD and 44% for PD. Multivariate results indicate AUD was the only significant predictor for violent offenses.

Research limitations/implications

Female detainees experience trauma and mental health conditions at high rates. Research-informed mental health care may result in increased treatment efficacy. Provided the links between PTSD, PD and AUD, special considerations for this population should address interpersonal factors in treatment that may relate to violent offenses.

Originality/value

Little research exists examining female jail detainees and the implications of AUD, PTSD and PD on violent offending. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between AUD, PTSD and PD in female jail detainees with violent offenses.

Details

Drugs and Alcohol Today, vol. 21 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1745-9265

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2019

Elizabeth Combs, Kaitlin Guston, Albert Kopak, Alyssa Raggio and Norman G. Hoffmann

Most research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and offending has been conducted with special populations (e.g. veterans and female inmates) and generally overlooks the…

Abstract

Purpose

Most research on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and offending has been conducted with special populations (e.g. veterans and female inmates) and generally overlooks the additive effect of panic disorder (PD) in offending patterns. The purpose of this paper is to assess the prevalence of PTSD and PD among jail inmates, while simultaneously examining the relationships between these disorders, offending types and frequency.

Design/methodology/approach

A random sample of adults recently booked into a local county jail participated in the Comprehensive Addictions and Psychological Evaluation-5 (CAAPE-5), a structured psychological assessment. The study sample was comprised of 200 male and 83 female inmates.

Findings

Indications of PTSD were observed among 44.0 percent of male inmates and 57.8 percent of female inmates. Most male inmates (78.4 percent) with positive PTSD indications also met criteria for PD, with a similar proportion (78.1 percent) of female inmates also meeting criteria for both. The combination of PTSD and PD was not associated with offending frequency, but inmates presenting indications of both PTSD and PD were more likely to be charged with a violent offense relative to those with only PTSD.

Practical implications

Inmates with PTSD who also have panic attacks may have a more severe condition with possible implications for other risks. Observations of these conditions among adults recently booked into local jails should coincide with each other.

Originality/value

Few studies have examined mental health conditions among local jail detainees, despite the ever-present need to address them. The current study considers this important population and investigates the prevalence of co-occurring conditions.

Details

International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1744-9200

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 December 2020

Alexa J. Barrett, Stephanie L. Taylor, Albert M. Kopak and Norman G. Hoffmann

Despite ranking among the most prevalent mental health conditions and their likely contributions to violent offending, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder (PD…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite ranking among the most prevalent mental health conditions and their likely contributions to violent offending, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder (PD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) have not been examined closely among adult males detained in rural jails. The purpose of this paper is to assess the prevalence of co-occurring PTSD, PD and AUD within this population and identify their associations with violent offenses.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consists of 349 males recently booked into local jails. The Comprehensive Addictions and Psychological Evaluation – 5 was administered to assess mental health conditions. Bivariate statistics and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine associations between PTSD, PD, AUD and violent offenses.

Findings

A disproportionate number of participants met criteria for PTSD, PD and AUD. Co-occurrence was prevalent among detainees booked for violent offenses with 25% reporting symptoms of all three disorders. PD emerged as the strongest single condition associated with violence, while the combination of PTSD, PD and AUD significantly increased the likelihood of violent offenses.

Practical implications

A better understanding of the relationship between mental health conditions and violent offenses is essential for efficacious assessment and treatment. Appropriately informed mental health care for jail detainees can increase public safety and guide practices for addressing these conditions within criminal justice populations.

Originality/value

There is limited research on mental health within the rural jail detainee population. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the association between PTSD, PD, AUD and violent offenses drawn from local detention centers.

Details

Journal of Criminal Psychology, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2009-3829

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 May 2014

Albert M. Kopak and Norman G. Hoffmann

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the extent to which drug dependence was associated with the probability of being charged with drug possession compared to drug sales…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to investigate the extent to which drug dependence was associated with the probability of being charged with drug possession compared to drug sales or other offenses.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were drawn from the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (ADAM) II program which collected information from ten cities across the USA between April 1 and September 30, 2010. The sample was comprised of male arrestees between the ages of 18-65 who reported past drug use (n=2,193).

Findings

Multinomial logistic regression results indicated the odds of being arrested for drug possession compared to other types of offenses increased by 12 percent for each additional symptom of drug dependence reported by arrestees (RRR=1.12, 95 percent CI=1.06-1.19). In contrast, drug dependence did not predict an increased probability of being charged with drug sales over other types of offenses or drug possession charges.

Practical implications

This evidence suggests drug dependence was a preeminent factor in the likelihood arrestees were charged with drug possession. Criminal justice policies should prioritize dependence assessment and formulate individualized treatment plans to realize a significant reduction in the amount of possession cases processed through the system.

Originality/value

There have been many empirically underdeveloped arguments calling for the decriminalization of drug possession, but none have considered the importance of drug dependence as a preeminent reason why offenders receive possession charges. This research provides a clear and concise illustration of why drug dependence needs to be acknowledged in policy-oriented discussions focused on the criminalization of drug possession.

Details

Drugs and Alcohol Today, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1745-9265

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 March 2016

Albert M. Kopak, Steven L. Proctor and Norman G. Hoffmann

Effective substance use treatment is a viable way to reduce criminal justice contact among drug-involved offenders, but there is still a lot to learn about which indicators have…

Abstract

Purpose

Effective substance use treatment is a viable way to reduce criminal justice contact among drug-involved offenders, but there is still a lot to learn about which indicators have the greatest impact on treatment outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to determine which clinical indicators influenced the likelihood of rearrest among male drug-involved offenders.

Design/methodology/approach

This prospective longitudinal study examined indicators of 12-month post-treatment rearrest for male criminal justice-involved substance use treatment patients. Multinomial logistic regression results drawn from a sample of 1,531 adult male patients who were mandated to substance use treatment indicated that there were different factors related to the likelihood of one as well as multiple post-treatment arrests.

Findings

Demographic risk factors, such as age and unemployment, were associated with significant increases in the probability of experiencing an arrest within 12-months of treatment discharge. Substance use relapse was also a significant indicator of the likelihood of rearrest and contributed to an increase in the odds of one post-treatment rearrest as well as multiple rearrests. A drug dependence diagnosis, relative to a diagnosis for alcohol dependence, was associated with an increased likelihood of rearrest. Participation in outpatient treatment was associated with a lower likelihood of rearrest.

Practical implications

These findings emphasize the need for treatment providers to concentrate heavily on demographic risk reduction to minimize the chance that male patients are rearrested after treatment. Relapse prevention, on the other hand, is critical in the effort to minimize the number of post-treatment rearrests in this population.

Originality/value

The results from this study provide evidence to empirically support the refinement of substance treatment programs for male patients involved in the criminal justice system.

Details

Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, vol. 2 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-3841

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 September 2014

Josefien J.F. Breedvelt, Lucy V. Dean, Gail Y. Jones, Caroline Cole and Hattie C.A. Moyes

The purpose of this paper is to assess whether mental health symptoms affect one-year reoffending rates upon release from prison for participants engaging in substance dependence…

2369

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess whether mental health symptoms affect one-year reoffending rates upon release from prison for participants engaging in substance dependence treatment in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

A retrospective cohort study was used to assess reconviction outcomes upon release. The Comprehensive Addiction and Psychological Evaluation (CAAPE) was administered to 667 inmates admitted to the programme. The effect of mental health, drug use, and static risk factors on reoffending was assessed at one-year post release.

Findings

Logistic regression analysis showed that symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder at the start of substance dependence treatment increased the likelihood to reoffend, whilst Obsessive Compulsive Disorder symptoms and length of sentence decreased the likelihood to reoffend. Antisocial Personality Disorder symptoms show a trend towards increasing the likelihood to reoffend. In addition, previously established risk factors for reoffending, including dependence on heroin, crack/cocaine, and poly drug use significantly increased the likelihood of reconviction.

Practical implications

Depressive symptomatology pre-treatment could affect reoffending outcomes for participants in substance dependence treatment in prison. An integrative approach addressing both substance misuse and mental health factors is pivotal. Future efforts to address both simultaneously can be made to improve assessment, training, treatment, and through care for prisoners in substance dependence treatment.

Originality/value

Few studies have assessed the effect of mental health factors on reoffending outcomes for offenders in substance dependence treatment. A large sample was studied in an understudied population of UK prisoners in substance dependence treatment. The results have implications for clinical settings where mental health symptoms are not addressed concurrently with substance dependence. This finding can inform policy makers and practitioners who provide substance dependence treatment in prison.

Details

Journal of Criminal Psychology, vol. 4 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2009-3829

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 January 2024

Taylor Zande, Albert Kopak and Norman Hoffmann

The most recent wave of the opioid epidemic in the USA has been complicated by a sharp increase in methamphetamine use. In addition, many people classified with opioid use…

Abstract

Purpose

The most recent wave of the opioid epidemic in the USA has been complicated by a sharp increase in methamphetamine use. In addition, many people classified with opioid use disorder (OUD) and methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) present indications of psychiatric conditions. These diagnoses are also highly prevalent among people who are admitted to jails, but research conducted with this population is limited, due in part to the challenges associated with gaining access to local detention centers. This paper aims to examine the patterns of psychiatric conditions, OUD, and MUD among an understudied population to help inform the development of service delivery systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study was designed to assess the prevalence of OUD, MUD and common psychiatric conditions in a large sample of adults (n = 846) collected from four local jails. Diagnostic patterns were evaluated according to the current criteria established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed; American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Findings

More than half (57.3%) of the sample met criteria for MUD, one-third (37.2%) exceeded the threshold for an OUD diagnosis and 15.7% were classified with both conditions. Participants who met criteria for both MUD and OUD were significantly more likely to experience symptoms of major depression [adjusted odd ratios (aOR) = 1.76, 9, confidence intervals (CI) = 1.16–2.67], post-traumatic stress disorder (aOR = 2.51, 1.64–3.83), panic attacks (aOR = 3.24, 95% CI = 2.05–5.13), obsessive compulsive disorder (aOR = 2.74, 95% CI = 1.66–4.51) and antisocial personality (aOR = 3.03, 95% CI = 1.97–4.64).

Originality/value

These results, which were derived from an understudied population of adults detained in local jails, indicate the co-–occurrence of MUD and OUD are associated with certain psychiatric conditions.

Details

Journal of Public Mental Health, vol. 23 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5729

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 15 October 2018

Jonas von Hoffmann

Both Bolivia and Uruguay broke ranks with the global drug prohibition regime by introducing novel drug policies. State control of the production and supply of coca and cannabis…

Abstract

Both Bolivia and Uruguay broke ranks with the global drug prohibition regime by introducing novel drug policies. State control of the production and supply of coca and cannabis represents a clear departure from both the spirit and the letter of the international drug conventions. Although, the rationale, processes and outcomes of policy change were distinctive in many regards, this chapter posits that there are conceptual resemblances. In both countries, the leadership of a charismatic and idiosyncratic president has to be considered. Furthermore, in both countries, mobilisation and activism were also decisive. Lastly, in both countries novel drug policy responded to specific problems that decision-makers faced. Approaching drug policy reforms in Bolivia and Uruguay in terms of personal leadership, mobilisation and policy problems provides a useful analytical first-cut to assess the continuity and change in drug policy observable elsewhere. Additionally, scrutinising the reasons and motivations for undertaking drug policy reform also allows to better understand each country’s behaviour on the international stage.

Details

Collapse of the Global Order on Drugs: From UNGASS 2016 to Review 2019
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78756-488-6

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 May 2023

Taylor M. Gamble, Al Kopak and Norman Hoffmann

Most people admitted to jails present indications of substance use disorder, and methamphetamine use disorders (MUDs) have recently become the most prevalent in certain…

Abstract

Purpose

Most people admitted to jails present indications of substance use disorder, and methamphetamine use disorders (MUDs) have recently become the most prevalent in certain communities. Much of the research conducted with jail populations has focused on large urban facilities, despite them representing a small number of the nearly 3,000 correctional centers in the USA. This study aims to examine MUDs in a large multisite sample of adults admitted to rural jails in the USA to help inform better practices aimed at addressing these conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews were conducted with 525 adults ranging in age from 18 to 72 years within three rural detention centers within the USA using the Comprehensive Addictions and Psychological Evaluation-5. Retrospective records were extracted to assess relationships between Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders diagnostic classifications for MUDs, length of detention and jail admission over a 12-month period.

Findings

Results indicate those who met diagnostic criteria for MUD were more likely to be charged with a drug-related offense, a more serious offense (i.e. felony) and also spend more time detained relative to those who did not receive a similar diagnosis. Multivariate regression analyses also demonstrated persons with MUD diagnoses were significantly more likely to be admitted to the detention center on multiple occasions compared to those without a diagnosis.

Originality/value

Evidence from an understudied population supports the need to address MUDs among adults detained in rural jails. Proper diagnosis and linkage to care can enhance efforts to reduce the prevalence of these conditions.

Details

Drugs, Habits and Social Policy, vol. 24 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2752-6739

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 7 October 2020

Brendan O'Leary

The European Union (EU) is not a state, though it has some statelike attributes; it is not an empire, though it includes many former European imperial powers; and it is not a…

Abstract

The European Union (EU) is not a state, though it has some statelike attributes; it is not an empire, though it includes many former European imperial powers; and it is not a federation, though Euro-federalists seek to make it one. There is, however, no need to argue that the Union is a singularity, nor to invent novel terminology, such as that deployed by “neo-functionalists” and “intergovernmentalists” to capture its legal and political form. The EU is a confederation, but with consociational characteristics in its decision-making styles. This conceptualization facilitates understanding and helps explain the patterns of crises within the Union.

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