Tailoring the continuum of care for substance use problems to persons with an Islamic migration background: a co-creative case study.

Introduction: Structural inequity and stigma impose barriers toward substance use prevention and recovery support for persons with an Islamic migration background in non-Islamic majority countries. Similar issues of differential power often keep them silenced in research. Therefore, we explore the continuum of care for substance use problems regarding persons with an Islamic migration background.

Voices to be heard: Understanding family perspectives in forensic care trajectories.

Introduction: De-institutionalization of psychiatric care has greatly increased the role of family members in the recovery pathways of Persons labeled as Not Criminally Responsible (PNCR). However, the role of family members in supporting PNCR in forensic psychiatric care remains understudied. Scarce evidence indicates that PNCR have to deal with stigma and endure specific burdens (i.

Recovery Capital among Migrants and Ethnic Minorities in Recovery from Problem Substance Use: An Analysis of Lived Experiences.

Migrants and ethnic minorities (MEM) are known to be disadvantaged concerning risk factors for problem substance use and resources to initiate and sustain recovery (i.e., recovery capital).

Linkage and continuity of care after release from prison: an evaluation of central registration points for drug users in Belgium.

Purpose: This paper aims to report the findings of an evaluation study concerning the Central Registration Points (CRPs) for drug users in Belgian prisons. CRPs support drug users to link with community-based services.

Design/methodology/approach: The study applied a multi-method approach that involved an exploratory literature review; a secondary analysis of the CRPs' databases; a qualitative study of the perceptions of a diverse sample of stakeholders with regard to the functioning of CRPs; and a prospective registration study.

Recovery capital among migrants and ethnic minorities: A qualitative systematic review of first-person perspectives.

This systematic review of 15 qualitative studies explores recovery capital among migrants and ethnic minorities (MEM). The results of the framework analysis indicate that addressing barriers to recovery and (often minority-related) root causes of problem substance use is vital to recovery among MEM, as well as building recovery capital on personal, social and community level. The review unpacks the importance of "cultural" and "spiritual" elements of recovery capital both inside and outside treatment, the interconnectedness of the different dimensions of recovery capital, as well as their intertwinement with root causes of substance use and barriers to recovery.

Crushed by the Belgian system: Lived experiences of forensic care trajectories by persons labelled as not criminally responsible.

Background: Care trajectories of Persons labelled Not Criminally Responsible (PNCR) are often characterized by multiple transitions from one (forensic) mental health service to another and by long periods of admission. So far, little research has been conducted on forensic care trajectories, in particular on how PNCR perceive the trajectories they are subjected to.

Method: Data were obtained via semi-structured interviews (N = 23) with PNCR in various (forensic) mental health services in Belgium.

The use of test instruments in forensic report writing - Explorative research in Flanders.

Background: Forensic psychiatric reports have a profound impact on the life of a defendant, on society and on the mental health system. Good-quality reports are essential but are often criticized for their lack of thorough substantiation. The use of multiple methods to obtain information, test instruments (psychological and/or risk) and third-party information are recommended.

How to overcome political and legal barriers to the implementation of a drug consumption room: an application of the policy agenda framework to the Belgian situation.

Background: For more than 30 years, drug consumption rooms (DCRs) have been implemented in Western countries. DCRs are supported by a large body of evidence about public safety and public health effectiveness. However, a political consensus has never been achieved in Belgium on amending the existing law that explicitly penalises the supply of a room for facilitating drug use.

A qualitative inquiry on recovery needs and resources of individuals with intellectual disabilities labelled not criminally responsible.

Background: Recovery is a widely accepted paradigm in mental health care, whilst the correctional and forensic-psychiatric field is still searching for foundations for its implementation. Knowledge regarding recovery of persons with intellectual disabilities in secure contexts is limited. This study assesses recovery needs and resources among persons with intellectual disabilities labelled not criminally responsible and investigates the impact of the judicial label on recovery processes.

Pains of Imprisonment Beyond Prison Walls: Qualitative Research With Females Labelled as Not Criminally Responsible.

Research on the importation and deprivation models has focused almost exclusively on male inmates, and these models have not yet been studied in any setting other than prison. This research explores the importation and deprivation experiences of females labelled as not criminally responsible (FNCR). During the first part of the study, all the participants interviewed were in prison ( = 51).

The health-related social costs of alcohol in Belgium.

Background: Alcohol is associated with adverse health effects causing a considerable economic impact to society. A reliable estimate of this economic impact for Belgium is lacking. This is the aim of the study.

Recovery of Offenders Formerly Labeled as Not Criminally Responsible: Uncovering the Ambiguity From First-Person Narratives.

The recovery paradigm is a widely accepted strength-based approach in general mental health care. Particular challenges arise when applying this paradigm in a forensic context. To address these issues, the present study examined recovery based on first-person narratives of offenders formerly labeled as not criminally responsible of whom the judicial measure was abrogated.

Economic consequences of legal and illegal drugs: The case of social costs in Belgium.

Background: Legal and illegal drugs impose a considerable burden to the individual and to society. The misuse of addictive substances results in healthcare and law enforcement costs, loss of productivity and reduced quality of life.

Methods: A social cost study was conducted to estimate the substance-attributable costs of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs and psychoactive medication to Belgian society in 2012.

Methodological Considerations in Social Cost Studies of Addictive Substances: A Systematic Literature Review.

Background: Alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and psychoactive pharmaceuticals' use is associated with a higher likelihood of developing several diseases and injuries and, as a consequence, considerable health-care expenditures. There is yet a lack of consistent methodologies to estimate the economic impact of addictive substances to society. The aim was to assess the methodological approaches applied in social cost studies estimating the economic impact of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and psychoactive pharmaceuticals.

Critical incidents and judicial response during medium security treatment.

This study examined inpatient incidents in three Flemish forensic medium security units and analyzed the subsequent judicial reactions to these incidents. During medium security treatment, incidents were reported for more than half of the participants. The most frequently registered incidents were non-violent in nature, such as absconding and treatment non-compliance.

Risk Factors Associated With Inpatient Violence During Medium Security Treatment.

Violence is a common phenomenon both in regular and forensic psychiatric settings, and has a profound impact on staff and other patients. Insight into the individual risk factors associated with violence in forensic psychiatric settings is rare and is therefore the subject of this research. A retrospective file study in three medium security units in Flanders was conducted to compare non-violent inpatients with inpatients who engaged in (verbal and physical) violent behavior.

The role and experiences of family members during the rehabilitation of mentally ill offenders.

Taking care of a family member with a mental illness imposes a burden on various aspects of family life. This burden may be enhanced if the mentally ill individual has a criminal history. This paper aims to summarize the scientific literature dealing with the experiences, needs and burdens of families of mentally ill offenders.

Public spending for illegal drug and alcohol treatment in hospitals: an EU cross-country comparison.

Background: In view of the current economic crisis and the resulting austerity measures being implemented by governments across Europe, public expenditure for substance abuse treatment has increasingly become a subject of discussion. An EU cross-country comparison would allow an estimation of the total amount of public resources spent on substance abuse treatment, compare various substance abuse treatment funding options, and evaluate the division of expenditures between alcohol and illegal drugs. The purpose of this study is to estimate the public spending of EU countries for alcohol and illegal drug abuse treatment in hospitals.

The blurred vision of Lady Justice for minors with mental disorders: records of the juvenile court in Belgium.

Purpose: This study examined (1) the information present in juvenile court records in Belgium (Flanders) and (2) whether there are differences in information between records that mention a mental disorder and those that do not.

Method: The file study sample included 107 court records, and we used a Pearson's chi-square test and a t-test to analyze the information within those records.

Results: Information in juvenile court records varied considerably.

The impact of drug treatment courts on recovery: a systematic review.

Introduction: Earlier reviews regarding the effectiveness of Drug Treatment Courts (DTCs) reported a reduction in reoffending and substance use. Although substance users suffer from other difficulties than drug use and judicial issues, none of these reviews focused on outcomes or effects of DTCs on drug-related life domains, such as social relationships, employment, or health. Therefor, the present paper aims to review the impact of adult DTCs on substance use and drug-related life domains.

"Recovery came first": desistance versus recovery in the criminal careers of drug-using offenders.

The aim of our paper is to gain insight in the desistance process of drug-using offenders. We explore the components of change in the desistance process of drug-using offenders by using the cognitive transformation theory of Giordano et al. as a theoretical framework.