Handcuffs+Do+Not+Cure+Addiction

Name: Amy Slocombe Student Number: 08561885 Tutor: Jey Rodgers



PRESENT YOUR ATREFACT

The artefact that I have chosen is a symbolic picture. There is a pair of hand cuffs accompanied by the phrase: “Hand cuffs don’t cure addictions!” This picture is relevant to my analysis as it represents the debate regarding prison vs. treatment and supports the premise that treatment is of higher importance. The topics of diversion and the methadone program versus extended incarceration sentences for drug offenders are represented by this picture, both directly and indirectly.

NAME THE PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE CENTRAL TO YOUR ANALYSIS

Illicit drug use is a growing issue within the public health sector. There is an expanding prevalence of mental health issues and the transmission of blood borne viruses such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis. Drug users facing addiction are at risk of several negative health outcomes which not only affect them personally but also their friends and family. Drug addiction drastically reduces quality of life. Illicit drug use also impacts public health by way of finances. The criminal justice system resources dedicated to drug offences are quite substantial, and increase drastically with recidivism. This is why treatment for drug addicts is essential, in an attempt to eradicate repeat offences and improve the health of this society as a whole. This would include reduced drug use and crime rates as well as increased employment.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The purpose of this literature review was to discover the effectiveness of opioid pharmacotherapy treatment within correctional facilities and the diversion program. Several academic journals and articles were reviewed in order to gain an overview of current literature on these subjects. To locate these articles, academic search engines such as Science Direct, PubMed, ProQuest and the Cochrane Library were used. Only peer reviewed, high quality publications from the previous ten years were included in this literature review. It was also investigated how these interventions impact the health and wellbeing of those addicted to drugs.

It was expressed by several researchers that collecting data from prisoners was somewhat easier than collecting data from members of the outside community as they were all in one place and easily reachable. The compliance levels were much higher than those achieved with other studies. However, a mail out system was also used in some studies to collect information from ex-prisoners regarding relapse into drug use after being released from prison. This was not as effect due to several reasons including illiteracy and lack of interest in completing surveys. Some better methods of collecting useful data include telephone calls and mandatory surveys used at follow up visits from social workers and other related appointments. All of the articles reviewed on these topics expressed a uniform view that opioid pharmacotherapy treatment or equivalent is a positive change to the criminal justice system and a valuable asset to public health.

According to tests conducted by Gjersing et al.(2007) more prison inmates reported to continue on with the Methadone program when they were in the presence of staff that actively supported this treatment initiative. This proves that drug addiction treatment is an important public health issue as there needs to be an increase in awareness of both the short term and long term benefits of these programs, especially for those working closely with the subjects enrolled in these programs. It would also be advantageous for the whole community if illnesses such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hepatitis and mental health disorders were reduced. Society would also benefit from a reduction in crime rates. Those who are able to recover from drug addiction would benefit from increased employment opportunities and better quality of life for themselves and their families.

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANALYSIS

The social theory surrounding the topic of illicit drug use is moral panic. Moral panic can be defined as a social condition which is perceived as a threat to community values. The nature of the social condition is often stereotyped by mass media. In the instance of illicit drug users committing serious offences, some members of society may see their behaviour as a potential threat to the moral order of society. It is a general consensus within a given society that something must be done about a particular behaviour. There are five criteria that are essential to moral panic: concern, hostility, consensus, disproportionality and volatility. First, there is concern that the use of illicit drugs is a ‘wrong’ behaviour. Next, there is a certain degree of hostility directed towards the people responsible for this behaviour. This is followed by a public consensus that the threat is genuine. Next there is disproportionality – the perceived threat is far removed from any objective measure of seriousness. Finally, there is volatility. Moral panics begin suddenly and end just as quickly. Illicit drug users committing serious offences encompass this entire criterion.

It is vital to spread awareness of the seriousness of addiction, and how it can be a problem for the person who suffers from it. Though it is a self- inflicted condition, it is still quite debilitating and can drastically reduce the quality of life for those affected. If treatment programs in combination with incarceration or other punishments are not kept in place, it may be possible that vigilante behaviour will arise by some members of society. Many people in the community see drug users as threatening and dangerous and they feel it is there duty as moral citizens to ensure justice is served. Within the media in particular, there is far more focus on the crimes and violent behaviour that arise from illicit drug use than the way people suffer when they become addicted. You are more likely to see law enforcement based television programs on your television rather than compassionate real life medical documentaries showcasing drug addiction in its rawest form. Media has a vast influence on forming the opinions of the members of society and this contributes greatly to the eruption of moral panics.

ANALYSIS OF THE ARTEFACT AND YOUR OWN LEARNING REFLECTIONS

The literature that was reviewed for this subject provided a consensus that opioid pharmacotherapy treatment in prisons and the diversion program are positive additions to the criminal justice systems. The cultural artefact that goes along with this review supports these findings; handcuffs literally do not cure drug addiction. This means that whilst incarceration may be essential as punishment for some crimes committed, these people cannot be left without treatment. If they are left untreated, their health, wellbeing and quality of life will all decline. This in turn will have a negative impact on public health. The statement: “Hand cuffs don’t cure addictions!” represents the need for drug addiction treatment to go hand in hand with regulation punishment. Through completing this assessment piece, I have learnt a lot about drug addiction and how debilitating this condition can be. It was interesting to discover the links between moral panics and the increasing pressure placed on criminal law enforcers to heavily punish those who are caught to be users of illicit drugs. This will definitely impact my future studies and career experience, as paramedics will encounter a range of situations involving drug offences involving both the perpetrator and the victims. I value the things that I have learnt about public health as it has given me an insight into the way that various health determinants influence the behaviours and lifestyles of different people within society.

REFLECTIONS

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REFERENCE LIST

Dolan, K. A., Shearer, J., MacDonald, M., Mattick, R. P., Hall, W., Wodak, A. D. (2003). A Randomised Controlled Trial of Methadone Maintenance Treatment Versus Wait List Control in an Australian Prison System. //Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 72(1)//, 59-65. Doi: 10.1016/S0376-8716(03)00187-X

Gjersing, L. R., Butler, T., Caplehorn, J. R. M., Belcher, J. M., Matthews, R. (2007). Attitudes and Beliefs Towards Methadone Maintenance Treatment Among Australian Prison Health Staff. //Drug and Alcohol Review, 26//, 501-508. Doi: 10.1080/09595230701499118

Hedrich, D., Alves, P., Farrell, M., Stover, H., Moller, L., Mayet, S. (2012). The Effectiveness of Opioid Maintenance Treatment in Prison Settings: A Systematic Review. //Addiction, 107(3),// 501-517. Doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03676.x

Neale, J., Robertson, M., Saville, E. (2005). Understanding the Treatment Needs of Drug Users in Prison. //The Journal of Community and Criminal Justice, 52(3),// 243-257. Doi: 10.1177/0264550505055433

Stallwitz, A. & Stover, H. (2007). The Impact of Substitution Treatment in Prisons – A Literature Review. //International Journal of Drug Policy, 18(6),// 464-474. Doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2006.11.015

Stover, H. & Michels, I. I. (2010). Drug Use and Opioid Substitution Treatment for Prisoners. //Harm Reduction Journal, 7(17),// 1-7. Doi: 10.1186/1477-7517-7-17