Spike in drug, alcohol related jail deaths puts spotlight on fallout from 'war on drugs'
ABC News
Drug and alcohol-related deaths are on the rise in local jails, as experts call for rehabilitation instead of incarceration for people experiencing addiction.
Drug and alcohol-related jail deaths have skyrocketed in recent years, according to a recent report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics and experts say that spike goes hand-in-hand with the continued criminalization of substance abuse in the United States and lack of treatment. Deaths spiked between 2000 and 2018, increasing by roughly 381% -- the largest increase of any cause by a margin, according to the BJS report. The report did not elaborate on the specific causes of death. The time period also coincided with increased opioid use and large numbers of drug arrests, mainly for possession. Substance abuse is classified as a mental illness, by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a federal agency, but has long been treated as a criminal offense by the justice system, rather than a public health issue, NIDA’s Dr. Redonna Chandler told ABC News.More Related News