Tools and Guides for Policy and Practice

Tools and Guides for Policy and Practice

Law Enforcement Pre-Arrest Diversion Resource Guide

Addiction Policy Forum Releases Overdose Reversal Toolkit

The toll of drug overdoses in the US reached an unfathomable 72,000 lives in 2017. In response, the Addiction Policy Forum has released a toolkit to train the layperson in administering naloxone. The toolkit consists of instructional videos, printable materials and additional reading that you can print and place in your office.

Rethinking Law Enforcement’s Role on Drugs: Community Drug Intervention and Diversion Efforts

Police administrators across the country are recognizing the need to connect individuals with whom they come into contact in the community to evidence-based treatment to better address the large social and economic burden of substance use disorders (SUD), a chronic and relapsing condition. Police frequently encounter substance using individuals and their families in the community, and often have repeat contacts with individuals suffering from SUD. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of different police agency responses to individuals with SUD that are intended to prevent overdose deaths and divert individuals with SUD away from the criminal justice system and toward appropriate support and treatment.

Pre-Arrest Diversion Frameworks: A Decision Making Tool for Police Leaders

This document is designed for law enforcement leaders confronted with frequent cases involving addiction and overdose. Rather than arresting and re-arresting individuals who have drug problems, many jurisdictions are implementing alternative approaches. This document presents the main methods for diverting or “deflecting” individuals away from the justice system and into appropriate services in the community.

These three resources from the National League of Cities (NLC) offer an introduction and strategy overview for cities to reduce the overuse and misuse of jails, opportunities for city leadership to reduce the use of jails and attendant disparities, action steps to get started, and examples from around the country. The NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families developed these resources through its strategic alliance with the Safety and Justice Challenge of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Topics of the resource briefs include:

City Strategies to Reduce the Use of Jails for Young Adults

Cities that lead justice system reform efforts stand to produce benefits to public safety, better allocation of scarce resources, and improved overall outcomes for young adults.

City Strategies to Support Alternatives to Arrest for People with Substance Abuse Treatment Needs

The mismatch between high rates of substance abuse, and local capacity focused on substance abuse reduction and treatment, often results in local jails becoming the primary provider of substance abuse services. However, jail and the criminal justice system constitute ineffective, even harmful, responses to substance abuse among young adults. In addition, racial and ethnic disparities exist in the enforcement of drug laws.

How Cities Can Provide Alternatives to Jails and Improve Outcomes for Young Adults with Mental Health Concerns

Daily, in cities across the country, behaviors of young people with mental health disorders come to the attention of law enforcement. Absent a coordinated steer toward community-based mental health services, significant numbers of people with serious mental illness cycle frequently through arrest and jail.