TY  - JOUR
T1  - Treating drug abuse and addiction in the criminal justice system: Improving public health and safety
AU  - Chandler RK, Fletcher BW, Volkow ND
Y1  - 2009/01/14
N1  - 10.1001/jama.2008.976
JO  - JAMA
SP  - 183
EP  - 190
VL  - 301
IS  - 2
N2  - Despite increasing evidence that addiction is a treatable disease of the brain, most individuals do not receive treatment. Involvement in the criminal justice system often results from illegal drug-seeking behavior and participation in illegal activities that reflect, in part, disrupted behavior ensuing from brain changes triggered by repeated drug use. Treating drug-involved offenders provides a unique opportunity to decrease substance abuse and reduce associated criminal behavior. Emerging neuroscience has the potential to transform traditional sanction-oriented public safety approaches by providing new therapeutic strategies against addiction that could be used in the criminal justice system. We summarize relevant neuroscientific findings and evidence-based principles of addiction treatment that, if implemented in the criminal justice system, could help improve public heath and reduce criminal behavior.
SN  - 0098-7484
M3  - doi: 10.1001/jama.2008.976
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2008.976
ER  -