@article{ref1,
title="Effect of initiating drug treatment on the risk of drug-related poisoning death and acquisitive crime among offending heroin users",
journal="International journal on drug policy",
year="2017",
author="Pierce, Matthias and Bird, Sheila M. and Hickman, Matthew and Marsden, John and Dunn, Graham and Seddon, Toby and Millar, Tim",
volume="51",
number="",
pages="42-51",
abstract="BACKGROUND: A recent Cochrane review of randomised trials identified a lack of evidence for interventions provided to drug-using offenders. We use routine data to address whether contact with treatment services reduces heroin users' likelihood of a future acquisitive offence or drug-related poisoning (DRP) death. <br><br>METHODS: Heroin-users were identified from probation assessments and linked to drug-treatment, mortality and offending records. The study cohort was selected to ensure that the subject was not: in prison, in treatment or had recently left treatment. Subjects were classed as initiators if they attended a triage appointment within two weeks of their assessment; non-initiators otherwise. Initiator and non-initiators were compared over a maximum of one year, with respect to their risk of recorded acquisitive offence or DRP-death. Balance was sought using propensity score matching and missing data were accounted for using multiple imputation. <br><br>RESULTS: Nine percent of assessments identified for analysis were classed as initiators. Accounting for observed confounding and missing data, there was a reduction in DRPs associated with initiator assessments, however there was uncertainty around this estimate such that a null-effect could not be ruled out (HR: 0.42, 95% CI 0.17-1.04). There was no evidence of a decrease in the recidivism risk, in fact the analysis showed a small increase (HR: 1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.18). <br><br>CONCLUSION: For heroin-using offenders, initial contact with treatment services does not appear to reduce the likelihood of a future acquisitive offence.<br><br>Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0955-3959",
doi="10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.09.017",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.09.017"
}