Perspectives of prisoners on alcohol and other drug group treatment approaches

Peer Mentors as Prison Volunteers: Building Bridges Between Institutions and Communities

One creative way that Departments of Corrections offset costs is by relying on volunteers. Prison volunteers are a heterogeneous group, who provide various programs to incarcerated populations. One unique subset of prison volunteers are peer mentors, who are individuals who have experienced criminal justice interventions and have desisted from criminal activities. These mentors provide unique guidance to individuals who are currently incarcerated or are preparing for release. The current study analyzed responses from peer mentors (N = 51) and explored their motivations and experiences. Thematic analysis was utilized to assess self-reported motivations and thoughts. Participants described internal, relational, and religious/community-based motivations for facing the barriers and challenges inherent in returning to prisons, in order to provide volunteer services. There is little known about prison volunteers and less about peer mentors. We encourage future research and policy to capitalize on the unique benefits peer mentors may provide incarcerated individuals.

Learnings from a prison-based drug treatment program on planning for release: A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Prison-based drug and alcohol group treatment programs operate in all Australian jurisdictions. With more than two-thirds of people in prison having a history of substance use prior to incarceration, such programs are needed. There have been few published papers on the impact of attending group treatment programs in Australian prisons, and the research published to date has been predominately quantitative. We aim to report the experiences of males in prison who completed and those who did not complete a group-based drug and alcohol program, to gain insight into their strategies for reducing harm from drug and alcohol post-release.

METHODS

Qualitative thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 12 males who completed or were about to complete and 10 males who discontinued a prison-based group drug and alcohol treatment program.

RESULTS

Program completers were more likely to have well-developed plans to reduce drug and alcohol harms and maintain abstinence upon return to the community, which included creating healthier social networks. They also showed stronger insights into the factors that led to offending. Those who did not complete the drug and alcohol program appeared to rely on self-will as the main way to reduce drug and alcohol harms, with less awareness of options for support services to reduce or stop drug and alcohol use.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Prison-based drug and alcohol program engagement imparted useful information for program completers. Controlled trials are needed to examine whether such differences equate to improved outcomes after release.

Opportunities for intervention for alcohol and other drug use problems for men before prison: a qualitative study

Research into opportunities for prevention including health promotion information about alcohol and other drugs (AoD) harms for people who go to prison is sparce. This is despite there being ample research reporting how much and how frequently AoD have been used by people who go to prison. This paper describes results from a qualitative thematic analysis of interviews with 31 men in a Sydney prison, about where they first received health promotion information about AoD-related harms and their first ever treatment episode. No participant receiving education on AoD harms or treatment support services in primary or high school. Only one participant received their first treatment episode through a health service in his case a doctor and none reported being screened for AoD use at a health service. Twenty-seven participants had their first session with a trained professional through the criminal justice system. Pro-active screening in health services for AoD use disorders and referral to appropriate health services is needed.