The Compendium of U.S. jails: creating and conducting research with the first comprehensive contact database of U.S. jails

Abstract Background Millions of people pass through U.S. jails annually. Conducting research about these public institutions is critical to understanding on-the-ground policies and practices, especially health care services, affecting millions of people. However, there is no existing database of the number, location, or contact information of jails. We created the National Jails Compendium to address this gap. In this paper, we detail our comprehensive methodology for identifying jail locations and contact information. We then describe the first research project to use the Compendium, a survey assessing jails’ treatment practices for incarcerated pregnant people with opioid use disorder. Results This study sent surveys electronically or in paper form to all 2986 jails in the Compendium, with 1139 surveys returned. We outline the process for using the Compendium, highlighting challenges in reaching contacts through case examples, cataloging responses and non-responses, and defining what counts as a jail. Conclusion We aim to provide tools for future researchers to use the Compendium as well as a pathway for keeping it current. The Compendium provides transparency that aids in understanding jail policies and practices. Such information may help devise interventions to ensure humane, evidence-based treatment of incarcerated people.

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Corrigendum to “Addressing discordant quantitative urine buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine levels: Case examples in opioid use disorder” [Drug Alcohol Depend. 186 (2018) 171–174]

Drug and Alcohol Dependence ◽

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107601 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 205 ◽

pp. 107601

Author(s):

Stephen R. Holt ◽

Joseph H. Donroe ◽

Dana A. Cavallo ◽

Jeanette M. Tetrault

Keyword(s):

Opioid Use Disorder ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Case Examples

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Buprenorphine Induction in a Rural Maryland Detention Center During COVID-19: Implementation and Preliminary Outcomes of a Novel Telemedicine Treatment Program for Incarcerated Individuals With Opioid Use Disorder

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.703685 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Annabelle M. Belcher ◽

Kelly Coble ◽

Thomas O. Cole ◽

Christopher J. Welsh ◽

Anna Whitney ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Opioid Use Disorder ◽

Community Treatment ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Screening Process ◽

Detention Center ◽

Medication Prescription ◽

Proven Efficacy ◽

Pass Through ◽

Buprenorphine Treatment

Over 10 million individuals pass through U.S. detention centers on an annual basis, with nearly two-thirds meeting criteria for drug dependence/abuse. Despite proven efficacy, treatment with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is underutilized in jail settings—a gap that could be addressed using telemedicine. Here we describe a new program of telemedicine-based clinical provision of new/continuing buprenorphine treatment for individuals detained in a rural jail. Implementation objectives were completed between January and August 2020, and patient encounters were conducted between August 2020 and February 2021. We established (i) telemedicine hardware/software capability; (ii) a screening process; (iii) buprenorphine administration methods; (iv) necessary medical release procedures; (v) telemedicine encounter coordination and medication prescription procedures; and (vi) a research platform. Seven incarcerated patients have been treated, two of whom were referred from community treatment. Patients were mostly male (71%), non-Hispanic White (86%), and averaged 33 years old. All patients tested positive for an opioid upon intake and began/continued buprenorphine treatment in the jail. Average time to first MOUD appointment was 9 days and patients were maintained in treatment an average 21 days. Referrals for continuing community treatment were offered to all patients prior to discharge. We report successful implementation of telemedicine MOUD in a rural detention center, with treatment engagement and initiation occurring prior to the high-risk period of discharge. The fact that this program was launched during the height of the pandemic highlights the flexibility of telemedicine-based buprenorphine treatment. Challenges and obstacles to implementation of buprenorphine treatment in a correctional system are discussed.

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Offering Payment in Clinical Research: Enrolling Individuals With or at Risk for Opioid Use Disorder

Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics ◽

10.1177/1556264619898972 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 163-174

Author(s):

Candace Wickliffe ◽

Holly Fernandez Lynch ◽

Emily A. Largent

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Research Participation ◽

Opioid Use Disorder ◽

Ethical Challenges ◽

Opioid Use ◽

Retention Strategies ◽

Ethical Concerns ◽

Important Means ◽

Conducting Research ◽

Practical Factors

Offering payment is an important means of facilitating research participation. Yet, offers of payment raise ethical challenges that may be heightened when prospective participants suffer from or are at risk for opioid use disorder (OUD). We surveyed principal investigators (PIs) conducting research in this population to characterize the relative importance they assign to various ethical and practical factors when designing offers of payment and also analyzed descriptions of payment in both their study advertisements and consent forms. Overall, we found that, despite literature suggesting heightened ethical concerns for this population, practical factors related to payment were more influential for PIs than either ethical factors or factors unique to individuals with or at risk for OUD. Our findings can help inform the development of ethical, effective recruitment and retention strategies for research in this population.

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