Latent class analysis of self-reported substance use during incarceration: Gender differences and associations with emotional distress and aggressiveness

Patterns of Self-Reported Mental Health Symptoms and Treatment among People Booked into a Large Metropolitan County Jail

The Brief Jail Mental Health Screen (BJMHS) is one of the most well-known and frequently used tools to conduct routine mental health screening at jail intake. In prior research, the BJMHS results typically have been evaluated overall (i.e., yes/no positive screen). However, there is heterogeneity in symptom presentation and treatment histories among people with serious mental illness, and there are potential consequences of this heterogeneity for mental health administration and policy in jails. We conducted a latent class analysis of BJMHS item-level results using administrative data for 37,998 people booked into a southeastern, metropolitan, U.S. county jail over a 3.5-year period. A 4-class solution provided the best fitting and most interpretable model. The largest class (89.5%) comprised people unlikely to report symptoms or treatment histories (limited symptoms). The next class comprised people who were unlikely to report ongoing symptoms but reported medication and hospitalization (managed symptoms). The third class (2.5%) included people likely to report feeling useless/sinful, prior hospitalization, and current psychiatric medication (depressive symptoms). The fourth class (1.0%) comprised people likely to report thought control, paranoia, feeling useless/sinful, medication, and hospitalization (psychotic symptoms). Controlling for sociodemographic and booking characteristics, people in the managed, depressive, and psychotic symptoms classes had significantly longer jail stays compared to those in the limited symptoms class. People in the managed and depressive symptoms classes were at heightened risk of re-arrest compared to the limited symptoms class. Findings can inform case prioritization and the allocation of resources to support efficient and effective jail-based mental health services.

Factors associated with drug use in prison: A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence

BACKGROUND

About a third of people use drugs during their incarceration, which is associated with multiple adverse health and criminal justice outcomes. Many studies have examined factors associated with in-prison drug use, but this evidence has not yet been systematically reviewed. We aimed to systematically review and synthesise the evidence on factors related to drug use in prison.

METHODS

Three databases (PubMed, PsycINFO and Embase) were systematically searched as well as grey literature, for quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies examining factors related to drug use inside prison. We excluded studies that did not explicitly measure in prison drug use or only measured alcohol and/or tobacco use. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) for quantitative studies and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) for qualitative studies. The review was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021295898).

RESULTS

Fifty-four studies met the inclusion criteria, reporting data on 26,399 people in prison. Most studies were of low or moderate-quality, and all used self-report to assess drug use. In quantitative studies, studies found that previous criminal justice involvement, poor prison conditions, pre-prison drug use and psychiatric diagnosis were positively associated with drug use in prison. In qualitative studies, reasons for drug use were closely linked to the prison environment lacking purposeful activity and the social context of the prison whereby drug use was seen as acceptable, necessary for cohesion and pressurised.

CONCLUSION

In the first systematic review of factors associated with drug use in prison, key modifiable risk factors identified from quantitative and qualitative studies were psychiatric morbidity and poor prison conditions. Non-modifiable factors included previous drug use and criminal history linked to substance use. Our findings indicate an opportunity to intervene and improve the prison environment to reduce drug use and associated adverse outcomes.

Vulnerabilidades associadas à violência contra a mulher antes do ingresso no sistema prisional

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar as vulnerabilidades individuais e sociais de mulheres privadas de liberdade para violência sofrida antes da entrada no sistema prisional. Método: estudo transversal analítico, realizado com 272 internas de uma unidade prisional feminina, na Região Metropolitana de Fortaleza, Ceará. Foram aplicados dois instrumentos: formulário para análise de informações sociodemográficas e da violência sofrida previamente à entrada no presídio e o Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), que analisou o histórico do uso de substâncias psicoativas. Resultados: 44,5% das mulheres sofreram violência. A maior parte da amostra total apresentava idade entre 18 e 29 anos, com filhos, baixa escolaridade e renda, início precoce da vida sexual e histórico de uso de drogas ilícitas. A idade entre 18 e 29 anos mostrou ser fator protetor da violência (OR = 0,632). Uso de cocaína e crack (p = 0,002), anfetaminas e êxtase (p = 0,018) aumenta a chance de violência de 2,2 a 3,3 vezes. Conclusão: aspectos das dimensões individuais e sociais da vulnerabilidade estão associadas à ocorrência de violência em mulheres internas do sistema prisional feminino. Estratégias efetivas necessitam ser traçadas com base nas vulnerabilidades, para prevenir violência contra a mulher.

Vulnerabilities associated with violence against women before entering the prison system

OBJECTIVE

to analyze the individual and social vulnerabilities of women deprived of their liberty for violence suffered before entering the prison system.

METHOD

an analytical crosssectional study, carried out with 272 inmates of a female prison unit, in the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza, Ceará. We applied two instruments: a form to analyze sociodemographic information and the violence suffered prior to entering the prison and the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST), which analyzed the history of psychoactive substance use.

RESULTS

44.5% of women suffered violence. Most of the total sample was between 18 and 29 years old, with children, low education and income, early onset of sexual life and history of illicit drug use. Age between 18 and 29 years proved to be a protective factor against violence (OR = 0.632). Cocaine and crack use (p =0.002), amphetamines and ecstasy (p =0.018) increase the chance of violence by 2.2 to 3.3 times.

CONCLUSION

aspects of the individual and social dimensions of vulnerability are associated with the occurrence of violence in women in the female prison system. Effective strategies need to be designed based on vulnerabilities to prevent violence against women.