Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2019

Publication Citation

104 Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 72 (2019)

Abstract

Background: Despite its efficacy, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is rarely available in the criminal justice system in the United States, including in problem-solving courts or diversionary settings. Previous studies have demonstrated criminal justice administrators' hostility towards MAT, especially in prisons and jails. Yet, few studies have examined attitudes among court personnel or compared beliefs among different types of personnel. Also, few studies have explored the relationship between MAT education/training and attitudes. Finally, few studies have directly compared attitudes towards methadone, oral buprenorphine, and extended-release naltrexone in the criminal justice system.

Methods: We modified a survey by Matusow et al. (2013) to explore justice professionals' MAT attitudes, including associations with demographic variables, court role, and previous MAT education/training. After piloting the survey, we distributed it to a convenience sample of justice professionals registered for an educational summit held in Indiana in 2018. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods.

Results: 231 Indiana court employees who had registered for a state MAT educational summit completed the survey prior to the summit, including judges, probation officers, law enforcement personnel, attorneys, probation officers, program directors, counselors, and case managers. Overall, participants had significantly more positive attitudes towards extended-release naltrexone than towards other medications (p value

Conclusion: As expected, court employees' attitudes significantly differ by medication, with average attitudes towards agonist medications being more negative than attitudes towards extended-release naltrexone. Despite a larger evidence base for the efficacy of methadone and oral buprenorphine, justice personnel may have more positive attitudes towards extended-release naltrexone due to targeted marketing by the pharmaceutical manufacturer, fears about diversion or misuse of agonist medications, and historic criminal justice hostility towards agonist medications. Importantly, previous education/training regarding MAT is associated with more positive attitudes, suggesting that more awareness-raising or capacity building educational interventions are needed, especially for prosecutors and law enforcement personnel.

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