A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows substantial benefits from expanding opioid addiction treatment in jails. The top line numbers from the study are:

• 52% reduction in risk of suffering a fatal overdose
• 24% reduction in risk of a non-fatal overdose
• 12% reduction in reincarceration after release

The study is based on 6,400 Massachusetts inmates receiving treatment in 2019 and 2020. All the inmates had opioid use disorder (OUD). Of those, 42% received medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and 58% did not. Follow-ups continued for six months after release.

Perhaps the saddest finding in the study is a 56% reduction in death of any kind for those receiving MOUD vs. those who did not. There is no explanation offered for this outcome. It’s particularly unusual because there was no difference in the number of hospitalizations between the MOUD group and the control group. Was the medication making former inmates less prone to suicide?

A variety of medications were used during the study: 67.9% received buprenorphine, 25.7% received methadone, and 6.5% received naltrexone. Those who received medication were far more likely to initiate treatment upon release and to stay in treatment. Thirty days after release, 60% of the MOUD group was in treatment, as opposed to 18% of the control group. Sixty days out, 58% of the MOUD group was still in treatment.

Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), hailed the results as “a win-win for public health.” Dr. Volkow further commented on the study, which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine:

These findings demonstrate the importance of providing medications to treat opioid use disorder in correctional settings. Offering effective opioid treatment to people in jail is a critical step toward addressing the opioid crisis, promoting recovery, saving lives and reducing reincarceration.

It’s safe to say that medicine-assisted treatment during incarceration dramatically improves outcomes for inmates, for law enforcement, and for society.

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published September 17, 2025.

Sources:

“Treating opioid addiction in jails improves treatment engagement, reduces overdose deaths and reincarceration,” National Institutes of Health News Release, September 10, 2025.

“Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in County Jails — Outcomes after Release,” The New England Journal of Medicine, September 10, 2025.

Image Copyright: joaquincorbalan.