Journal article
The impact of supported accommodation on health and criminal justice outcomes of people released from prison: a systematic literature review
Harm Reduction Journal, Vol.20, pp.1-12
2023
PMID: 37480060
Abstract
Background
Supported accommodation intends to address challenges arising following release from prison; however, impact of services, and of specific service components, is unclear. We describe key characteristics of supported accommodation, including program components and outcomes/impact; and distil best-evidence components.
Methods
We conducted a systematic review, searching relevant databases in November 2022. Data were synthesised via effect direction plots according to the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guidelines. We assessed study quality using the McGill Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and certainty in evidence using the GRADE framework.
Results
Twenty-eight studies were included; predominantly cross-sectional. Program components which address life skills, vocational training, AOD use, and mental health appear to positively impact criminal justice outcomes. Criminal justice outcomes were the most commonly reported, and while we identified a reduction in parole revocations and reincarceration, outcomes were otherwise mixed. Variable design, often lacking rigour, and inconsistent outcome reporting limited assessment of these outcomes, and subsequently certainty in findings was low.
Conclusion
Post-release supported accommodation may reduce parole revocations and reincarceration. Despite limitations in the literature, the findings presented herein represent current best evidence. Future studies should clearly define program components and measure their impact; use analyses which reflect the high risk of adverse outcomes, such as time-to-event analyses; and consider outcomes which reflect the range of challenges faced by people leaving prison.upported accommodation intends to address challenges arising following release from prison; however, impact of services, and of specific service components, is unclear. We describe key characteristics of supported accommodation, including program components and outcomes/impact; and distil best-evidence components.
We conducted a systematic review, searching relevant databases in November 2022. Data were synthesised via effect direction plots according to the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guidelines. We assessed study quality using the McGill Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and certainty in evidence using the GRADE framework.
Twenty-eight studies were included; predominantly cross-sectional. Program components which address life skills, vocational training, AOD use, and mental health appear to positively impact criminal justice outcomes. Criminal justice outcomes were the most commonly reported, and while we identified a reduction in parole revocations and reincarceration, outcomes were otherwise mixed. Variable design, often lacking rigour, and inconsistent outcome reporting limited assessment of these outcomes, and subsequently certainty in findings was low.
Post-release supported accommodation may reduce parole revocations and reincarceration. Despite limitations in the literature, the findings presented herein represent current best evidence. Future studies should clearly define program components and measure their impact; use analyses which reflect the high risk of adverse outcomes, such as time-to-event analyses; and consider outcomes which reflect the range of challenges faced by people leaving prison.
PROSPERO registration CRD42020189821.
Details
- Title
- The impact of supported accommodation on health and criminal justice outcomes of people released from prison: a systematic literature review
- Authors
- Daisy Gibbs (Corresponding Author) - UNSW SydneyEmily Stockings - The University of SydneySarah Larney - Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de MontréalDaniel J Bromberg - Yale UniversityAnthony Shakeshaft - UNSW SydneySara Farnbach - UNSW Sydney
- Publication details
- Harm Reduction Journal, Vol.20, pp.1-12
- Publisher
- BioMed Central Ltd.
- Date published
- 2023
- DOI
- 10.1186/s12954-023-00832-8
- ISSN
- 1477-7517
- PMID
- 37480060
- Copyright note
- This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.
- Grant note
- DG receives PhD scholarship funding from the Rainbow Lodge PhD Scholarship. SL is supported by a Research Scholar award from Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Psychology
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991242157902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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