Heroin Users: The Need for Improved Treatment for Incarcerated Women

Abstract

This paper addresses the use of drugs, specifically heroin, by women. While women's rate of incarceration in the nation have dramatically increased, tripling in the last decade, prisons have not kept pace with the growth of the number of women in prison and the need for drug treatment and recovery for this population. This paper examines one programmatic effort to provide services to this most vulnerable population in the state of Illinois. The continuum of care model is considered in light of the challenges of high recidivism rates, particularly in the state of Illinois. It identifies a need for more effective evidence–based services at the state level for prison inmates before and after discharge. Effective program evaluation has not been a priority in some states, and perhaps Illinois correction is prototypical. More effective intervention may require more community involvement post-release for ex-offenders. Barriers to healthcare, employment and housing, are just as evident with female drug offenders as in the male population.