Diversion and Illicit Drug Usage

Research shows that 87% of males tested positive for at least one illicit drug at the time of their arrest, but only 12% of the incarcerated population will receive drug treatment while in custody. This perpetuates recidivism rates, allowing these individuals to be pushed back into their communities (disproportionately communities of color) without having received treatment for the disease of addiction The cycle continues with re-using drugs, and may soon have their next contact with the police. To address this pervasive and costly situation, citizens, communities, and police need solutions that call upon the resources of both the public safety and the public health systems (Charlier, 2015).

The Montgomery County Deflection Model is a pre-booking deflection model focused on the substance use disorder (SUD) populations who have a high likelihood of repeated contact with police due to their untreated addictions. The Model brings evidence-based practices currently used in the criminal justice system to police at the front end of the process to initiate risk-needed screening and assessment. The model contains both preventative and intervention aspects. With no criminal charges present, the focus is on prevention. If charges are present, then the focus is on intervention. Both processes involve voluntary entry into treatment. Prevention stops future entry into the criminal justice system by providing the individual with a case manager and peer mentor, along with access to treatment that will reduce criminogenic behavior. Intervention stops immediate entry into the system following police contact by providing the individual with a case manager and peer mentor, along with real time access to treatment that will reduce repeat incidents while safely retaining the person in the community. Intervention reduces the likelihood of collateral consequences from justice processing and the negative impacts associated with even short-term incarceration for low-risk individuals (Charlier, 2015).

The model begins when a police officer observes behaviors that might indicate illicit drug usage, with or without criminal activity necessarily being present. Following this, the police officer screens the individual to determine that person’s criminogenic risk (using a form of assessment known as the Proxy Risk Tool) and treatment need (using TCUDS, a 15-item screning tool that helps identify drug use or dependency) profile. Certain individuals (Prevention—High need; Intervention—Low Risk, High Need) would be deflected to community-based case management services for full assessment and referral to treatment resources to address their underlying substance use disorder (SUD). Neutral Case managers monitor individuals’ treatment program compliance and share this information with system partners. Case managers focus on rapid treatment access, retention, motivation, engagement, and completion. Case managers may make referrals to ancillary services such as housing, employment, food, clothing, and recovery support (Charlier, 2015).

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According to Jac Charlier, Director of Consulting and Training at the Center for Health and Justice, the diversion/deflection model “represents an innovative solution that will reduce drug use in the community and, hence, reduce the demand for drugs, a main driver of crime in many local jurisdictions” (Charlier, 2015). This proactive approach to drug abuse attempts to identify the root of illicit drug usage to eventually eradicate the problem in its entirety. This idealistic perspective surrounding drug diversion is the baseline for understanding the necessary measures that diversion programs are oriented around. In a study led by The Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 31 published empirical studies were gathered to evaluate diversion programs addressing substance use and misuse. The review focused on program characteristics, implementation settings, outcomes measured, and study methods used. Four prevalent outcome categories were identified: service utilization, recidivism/criminality, substance use and psychosocial functioning. The findings suggested limited but promising evidence for improvements in recidivism, substance use, and psychosocial outcomes. The review highlighted the need for further examination of diversion program impacts, especially in pre-booking diversion programs, to fully understand their effectiveness.

The scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to ensure transparency and rigor in the review process. The search strategy involved the utilization of several databases and specific keywords related to diversion programs and substance abuse. The search was conducted up to June 30, 2019, resulting in 224 records after removing duplicates. Abstracts were reviewed to exclude non-empirical studies and those not related to drugs or alcohol, leaving 112 articles for full-text review. The review focused on studies that claimed diversion program nomenclature, aiming to capture empirical studies in the substance use and misuse field. Exclusion criteria included studies that did not focus on substance use or misuse-related diversion programs, among others. Overall, the review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of diversion programs addressing substance use and misuse. The research team reviewed codes and clarified procedures, with studies ranging from 1997 to 2019. The research team shared that “the most common outcome measured across the studies was recidivism/criminality (n = 20, 65%). Seven (35%) of the 20 studies indicated that recidivism/criminality outcomes were achieved; however, an additional 45% showed partial achievement, which may indicate promising diversion program effects on this outcome” (Lindquist-Grantz, Mallow… 2021).

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Citations

Charlier, J. (2015). Want to reduce drugs in your community? You might want to deflect instead of arrest. The Police Chief, 82(9), 30-31.

Lindquist-Grantz, R., Mallow, P., Dean, L., Lydenberg, M., & Chubinski, J. (2021). Diversion Programs for Individuals Who Use Substances: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Drug Issues, 51(3), 483-503. https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.utah.edu/10.1177/00220426211000330

By: Mason Mehr, Intern