Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/9723
Title: The effect of community-based drug rehabilitation programs on recidivism in Malta
Authors: Axiak, Claire
Keywords: Rehabilitation -- Malta
Recidivism -- Malta
Drug addicts -- Rehabilitation -- Malta
Inmates of institutions -- Drug use -- Malta
Issue Date: 2016
Publisher: Malta Medical Journal
Citation: Malta Medical Journal. 2016, Vol. 28(1), p. 41-47
Abstract: Background: The argument for financing therapeutic community-based drug rehabilitation programs for inmates is compelling. Numerous studies have established the positive effect of such treatment on reducing recidivism, especially treatment based on the therapeutic community model. Methods: This quasiexperimental retrospective cohort study examined the impact of therapeutic community-based drug rehabilitation programs on recidivism amongst drug inmates released from the national prison of Malta between 2005 and 2008 (i.e. “the reference period”). An experimental group consisting in all drug inmates who participated in at least one program during the time spent in prison for a conviction that ended during the reference period was compared to two comparison groups of inmates who did not attend such a program or who had attended in the past. Chi-square tests and ANOVA were employed in the analysis. Results: There was no statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between the three groups with regard to sex, age on admission and occupation but there was a highly significant difference with regard to the number of previous convictions, prison-basedopioid substitution treatment (given to all inmatesconvicted for heroin-related offences) and prison-based psychiatric treatment. On fitting a generalized linear model with a logit link function to control for opioid substitution treatment and the number of previous convictions it emerged that the difference between groups was not significant and thus the null hypothesis was not rejected. Conclusion: Participation of inmates in therapeutic community-based drug rehabilitation programs did not in itself emerge as a significant predictor of recidivism. In this regard, possible limitations that may have contributed to the lack of significant results were discussed. Inmates who were not administered any opioid substitution treatment (i.e. corresponding to all those who were incarcerated for drug offences other than heroin) were 74% less likely to reoffend compared to those who were given methadone or tramadol. Moreover, the likelihood of recidivism was 1.7 times greater for each additional prior incarceration (p<0.001).
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/9723
Appears in Collections:MMJ, Volume 28, Issue 1
MMJ, Volume 28, Issue 1
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