P02-54 - Is Outpatient-based Substance Abuse Treatment a Predictor of Re-offending and Other Outcomes Among Swedish Offenders Subjected to Psychiatric Assessment?

Abstract

Introduction

Substance abuse is associated with criminal recidivism. Substance abuse treatment has been found to correlate negatively with re-offending among treatment utilizers. However, for offenders with mental health problems and substance abuse, research on how substance abuse treatment affects re-offending is sparse.

Objectives

The study aimed to examine the relationship between self-reported outpatient-based substance abuse treatment and self-reported a) re-offending, b) substance use and c) psychiatric problems among offenders with mental health and substance use problems.

Methods

Data were gathered from a naturalistic follow-up study with 208 participants, subjected to a court-ordered psychiatric assessment. This analysis covers 91 individuals who were followed-up after an average study period of 17 months. Among these, 68% had been sentenced to institutional imprisonment or forensic psychiatric care.

Results

Offences, substance use and psychiatric problems declined between baseline and follow-up. However, the reduction was not associated with self-reported treatment utilization. Among participants who were sentenced to non-institutional corrections, more individuals had utilized outpatient-based treatment compared to individuals who were sentenced to imprisonment or forensic psychiatric care.

Conclusions

A definitive conclusion about the effect of treatment is difficult to draw. For instance, self-reported data may not reflect actual treatment consumption. However, one interpretation is that participants naturally recovered over time. Institutional correction might also have resulted in positive outcomes equivalent to outpatient-based treatment.