A Reading List for Public health interventions within the criminal justice system
Public health interventions within the criminal justice system encompass multi-sector approach on strategies and programs designed to divert individuals with substance use disorders away from conventional imprisonment. These interventions address treatment, support, and supervision, tackling the underlying causes of criminal conduct that is while curbing recidivism rates and fostering effective rehabilitation and societal reintegration.
According to the OAS, the drug treatment court (DTC) model stands out as one of the most renowned and extensively researched public health interventions within the criminal justice system. It functions both before and after individuals face conviction within the criminal justice system. However, DTCs represent just a fraction of the various public health interventions within the criminal justice system models prevalent across the Americas. Other notable examples include primary diversion and deflection programs, re-entry programs, restorative justice initiatives, community courts, community justice endeavors, and several other therapeutic justice-oriented approaches.
Furthermore, both the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) in the United States and the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Abuse (EMCDDA) highlight the importance of addressing the nexus between drug use and criminal behaviour. The ONDCP advocates for public health interventions within the criminal justice system as a "smart approach," aiming to provide evidence-based interventions for offenders while ensuring community safety. Similarly, the EMCDDA examines the epidemiology of drug usage and associated issues among incarcerated individuals, the existing social and healthcare interventions for drug-related concerns within prisons, incorporating the latest evidence of their efficacy, and the dynamics of drug distribution and markets within correctional facilities. Additionally, it offers a tool for comparing penalties and rehabilitative responses for drug-related offenses across European countries.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) underscores that non-custodial measures often prove more financially efficient than incarceration, freeing up resources vital for supporting social, welfare, and health services. UNODC has published a series of handbooks delineating basic principles and promising practices on public health interventions within the criminal justice system, strategies to reduce overcrowding in prisons, and treatment and care for people with drug use disorders in contact with the criminal justice system- alternatives to punishment.
The newly established International Consortium for Alternatives to Incarceration (ICATI) collaborates with nations, organizations, professionals, and program sites to advance the global expansion of treatment, care, and accountability as alternatives to incarceration. Additional information about ICATI is available here.
ISSUP hosted two webinars on foundational insights of Public health interventions within the criminal justice system featuring speakers from ICATI. Additionally, ISSUP Ivory Coast National Chapter hosted a webinar on the local use of Alternatives to Incarceration. Links to these webinars can be found below:
ATI Basics: Why Alternatives to Incarcerations (ATI)?
ATI Basics: Fundamentals of Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI)
Alternative à l'Incarcération pour les Usagers de Drogues: Cas de la Côte d'Ivoire
