A recent study found that medication treatment and mutual help group participation were each associated with more days of abstinence from illicit opioids after jail release. Their combined benefits were less clear and varied across follow-up periods. For ISSUP practitioners, the findings highlight the value of connecting treatment, recovery support and justice services during re-entry. The study does not establish causation, and findings from this US sample may not apply equally in other settings.

Faith, spirituality and faith-based organisations can play an important role in addressing substance use, supporting recovery and responding to related vulnerabilities as well as crime. Across different cultural and community settings, they can provide identity, belonging, hope and sustained relationships, while often reaching individuals and families in ways that formal services cannot. 

But recognising this potential also raises important questions. How can faith communities ensure that the support they provide is informed by evidence? How can faith leaders be equipped with the knowledge...

Protecting young people from substance use and crime: building safer communities and pathways to support

Young people's involvement in substance use and crime cannot be understood without considering the environments in which they grow up. Family circumstances, social connections, exposure to violence and access to opportunities can influence vulnerability, while supportive relationships, education and community engagement can help protect young people and create pathways towards healthier futures.

These issues were explored during Addressing Youth Substance Use and Crime: Risk Factors and...

Evidence-based interventions can improve prevention, treatment and recovery outcomes, but knowing what works does not guarantee that people will benefit. Effective responses depend on trained professionals, supportive systems, coordinated services and the ability to translate research into everyday practice. Even when appropriate interventions exist, gaps in implementation, access and continuity of care can limit their impact.

These challenges were at the centre of From Evidence to Practice: Advances in Substance Use Disorder Care, held on 22 September during ISSUP’s 2026 virtual conference...

This scoping review explores the role of spirituality in substance use disorders (SUD) across psychological, biological and cultural dimensions. It reviews research on topics including spiritual awakening, drug craving, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, biological and neurological aspects of spiritual experiences, and the ways spirituality is understood across different cultural settings.

The review also considers the distinction between spirituality and religion and the role of spirituality in building recovery capital. While existing research points to several potentially important...

This qualitative study explores how spiritual experiences contribute to recovery from substance use disorders among 24 people who completed Christian faith-based rehabilitation programmes in Norway. Participants described experiencing loss of identity, hopelessness, and emotional distress before entering rehabilitation.

Within faith-based communities, experiences of forgiveness, belonging, and unconditional acceptance were described as important spiritual turning points. Participants associated these experiences with renewed meaning, dignity, and a changed sense of identity. The study...

This study describes an Islamic-inspired methadone maintenance treatment programme delivered in a mosque setting for 36 Muslim men who used heroin. The programme combined methadone treatment with peer support and religious counselling, exploring whether mosques could provide an accessible community setting for substance use treatment and longer-term recovery support.

After 12 months, the programme had an 80% retention rate, and all but one participant tested negative for opioids and other substances. Participants also reported reductions in substance use and improvements in general health and...

In this second reading list, we continue exploring the growing evidence on the role and contribution of faith communities and faith-based organisations in addressing substance use and crime, with a particular focus on treatment engagement, recovery, rehabilitation, and criminal justice. While Part 1 highlighted the contribution of faith communities to prevention, community resilience, and violence reduction, this collection examines how spirituality and religiosity may influence help-seeking, substance use outcomes, abstinence, recidivism, and successful reintegration into society.

Faith...

This study examines how religious support during and after incarceration influences substance use and recidivism among people returning to the community. Using data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative, the authors distinguish between individuals' initial levels of religious support while incarcerated and changes in religious support after release.

The findings show that increases in religious support during reentry are associated with lower levels of substance use after release. While baseline religious support alone did not reduce substance use or offending, individuals...

This study examines how gang membership is measured among young people using the Eurogang Network’s survey approach. Drawing on nationally representative data from England and Wales, the researchers used statistical analysis to identify different types of peer groups and assess whether commonly used survey questions accurately distinguish gang-involved youth.

The findings suggest that the Eurogang measures successfully identified a group of young people involved in more frequent and serious offending. However, the same measures also classified another group whose primary behaviour was...

This study explores the relationship between religiosity and substance use patterns among women involved in the criminal justice system. Using data from women participating in a drug court programme in the United States, the researchers found that higher levels of religiosity were associated with a lower likelihood of cocaine use, either alone or in combination with cannabis.

The findings suggest that religiosity may serve as a protective factor for some forms of substance use, although the same association was not observed for cannabis use alone. Other factors linked to substance use...

This study examines the relationship between religiosity and crime using data from the 2015 visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia. By analysing daily crime reports before, during, and after the visit, the researchers found a significant reduction in less serious crimes, particularly drug-related offences, during the week of the visit and for several weeks afterward.

The effects were strongest in historically Christian neighbourhoods, suggesting that increased religious engagement or community cohesion may have influenced behaviour. The study also compared the findings with President Obama’s...