Nearly 8 in 10 Kentucky adults (82%) favor court-mandated treatment programs for first- and second-time drug offenders according to the most recent Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP). That compares with fewer than 2 in 10 adults (15%) who oppose these programs.
Adults in Northern Kentucky (83%) also favor these programs at a rate similar to adults in other regions of the state. This is the first time KHIP has asked this question.
“Interact for Health is focused on building a community-wide framework to address misuse of substances,” said O’dell Moreno Owens, M.D., M.P.H., President and CEO of Interact for Health. “There are many routes to recovery from substance abuse disorders. We must look at the role of court-mandated treatment programs in reducing the burden of addiction in our communities.”
Options Available for Offenders
Kentucky law offers adults in Kentucky who are charged with a drug possession crime an opportunity to be eligible for deferred prosecution, diversion or probation instead of immediate incarceration. Alternatives require the drug offender to abide by rules and conditions, which may include a court-mandated drug treatment program.
If requirements are completed, the offender can avoid incarceration and may be eligible to have the charges dismissed or expunged. Research suggests that court-mandated treatment programs may be less effective than voluntary treatment programs at reducing relapse.
However, successful completion of any type of treatment program is more effective than jail time alone in reducing the burden of addiction.
Treatment Favored by Adults in Both Political Parties, Independents
Support for mandatory treatment programs is consistent across political groups, with majorities of Kentucky Democrats (85%), Independents (84%) and Republicans (80%) reporting favorable opinions about such programs. Favorability is slightly higher among Kentucky adults who believe that addiction is a disease (86%) than among those who do not (74%). Having a family member or friend who has had problems as a result of using drugs did not affect opinions.
In addition, adults with more education are more likely to favor mandatory treatment programs (84% or higher for those with at least some college education).
The 2017 Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) is funded by Interact for Health and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. KHIP was conducted Oct. 24-Dec. 2, 2017, by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati. A random sample of 1,692 adults from throughout Kentucky was interviewed by telephone.
