Innovative Approaches to Addressing Opioid Addiction in Prisons
At the Somerset County Jail, located in the heart of rural Maine, a significant shift is taking place in the way prisoners struggling with opioid addiction are treated. Traditionally, inmates would receive a daily medication to help manage their cravings. However, upon their release, this vital access to medication would abruptly cease. This created a precarious situation where many of these individuals faced heightened risks of withdrawal, relapse, and overdose, challenges that are prevalent among newly released prisoners across the United States.
“Many of these inmates are our neighbors, and it is in our best interest to facilitate their reintegration into the community. Unfortunately, some end up losing their lives,” stated Sheriff Dale P. Lancaster of Somerset County. “To me, that is simply unacceptable.”
In a bid to alter these alarming statistics, Sheriff Lancaster initiated a pioneering program that introduces a less conventional form of the medication, buprenorphine: an extended-release injection designed to curb cravings for a duration of approximately 28 days.
A recent study published in the journal Health and Justice highlighted the remarkable outcomes of this pilot project within the jail. The introduction of the long-acting injection provided newly released prisoners with a critical buffer period, allowing them more time to establish ongoing addiction treatment and stabilize their lives post-incarceration.
Dr. Josiah Rich, a prominent national expert in addiction and incarceration at Brown University, who was not involved in the project, commented on its significance: “The jail’s experience serves as an important step in demonstrating how we, as a society, can work towards reducing fatalities associated with this devastating disease.”
