Violent Criminal Behavior and Perspectives on Treatment of Criminality in Opiate Treatment

Abstract

Purpose: This study describes and compares the characteristics of patients within a VA Opiate Substitution Therapy Program (OSTP) who report arrests for non-violent and violent crimes and describes patients' attitudes and preferences of criminal treatment within an OSTP. Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed to all veterans at one VA-OSTP. Analyses were conducted to describe the sample characteristics and their associations with prior violent and non-violent criminal behavior. Results: A majority of participants were Caucasian, male, middle-aged, unemployed, and had a history of injection drug use. Participants reported arrests for violent (44%), non-violent (47%), and unspecified crimes (16%). There were few significant differences on demographic and drug use characteristics between participants who reported arrests for any violent and only non-violent crimes, and no arrests. Slightly fewer than half the subjects were satisfied with their ability to access treatment for past criminal behavior within or outside of the VA treatment settings. More veterans reporting violent arrests were satisfied with services addressing criminal behavior within the VA-OSTP than were veterans reporting only nonviolent arrests. Nearly equal proportions of veterans reporting violent (45%) and non-violent (44%) arrests reported dissatisfaction with such services received outside of the VA-OSTP. Conclusions: Prior violent criminal behavior is common among participants of a VA-OSTP. Many individuals with criminal histories seek treatment for criminality within VA-OSTP.