Behavioral health treatment history among persons in the justice system: Findings from the Arrestee Drug Abuse...

Despite the high prevalence of substance use disorders, mental disorders, and co-occurring disorders among persons in the justice system, there is a fairly low rate of treatment utilization among this population. This study explored rates of lifetime behavioral health treatment utilization and factors associated with involvement in treatment.

The study examined data from the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring II program from 2007 to 2010, including over 18,000 arrestees in 10 U.S. metropolitan jails. Logistic regression and χ² analyses were used to explore the relationship between self-reported lifetime treatment history and sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported substance use, and severity of substance use.

Over half of arrestees reported no history of behavioral health treatment (62%), and Caucasians were significantly more likely to have received treatment than African Americans and Hispanics. Rates of treatment for substance use disorders or for both substance use and mental disorders were lowest among arrestees reporting marijuana and alcohol use and highest for heroin users. Methamphetamine users were the most likely to have received prior mental health treatment. Severity of alcohol and drug use was the highest among arrestees who had received both substance abuse and mental health treatment.

Considering the high rates of mental and substance use disorders in this population, the overall lack of behavioral health service utilization among offenders is concerning and points to the need to engage offenders in mental health and substance abuse treatment and to expand these services in jails, prisons, diversionary programs, and community corrections settings. (PsycINFO Database Record