The revolving prison door: Factors associated with repeat incarcerations in Spain

Aim of the present study was to test for the relationship of mental disorders, substance use, criminal and treatment variables with reincarceration. A sample of 2484 men from eight prisons in Spain participated. Logistic regression analyses with the number of incarcerations as dependent variable and mental disorders, drug use and treatment characteristics as independent variables were calculated. Odds ratios were calculated for prisoners with repeat incarcerations using the group for the first time in prison as reference category. Close to half of the participants was incarcerated for the second time or more (45.5%). Repeat incarceration was associated with older age (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.98), Spanish nationals (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.41-2.28), unemployment (OR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.21-1.78), property offense (OR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.73-2.62), being sentenced (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.27-2.04) disciplinary infractions (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.46-2.20) and cannabis use (OR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.44-2.27), heroin use (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.07-2.04), and the use of tranquilizers without prescription (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.19-2.11) during imprisonment. Repeat incarceration was not associated with self-reported mental disorders using multivariate regression, but with mental health (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.11-1.88) and drug use treatments (OR: 1.42, 95% 1.14-1.78) during imprisonment. This research suggests that mental health and substance use treatments in prison were typically provided to prisoners with repeat incarcerations who more likely commit disciplinary offenses such as drug use during imprisonment.