Women leaving prison with a drug dependency are being transferred directly into a women-only residential rehabilitation centre that addresses past trauma, and researchers want to know if this pathway helps them stay clean for good. Drug-dependent criminalised women face a brutal cycle: prison disrupts treatment, community services often fail to engage them, and relapse rates are high. The current system does not consistently provide the gender-specific, trauma-informed care that many of these women need. This study tackles a clear gap—there is almost no evidence comparing this kind of residential rehabilitation to standard drug treatment for this group. If the feasibility study shows the approach works, it could lead to a full randomised trial. Success would mean a concrete, evidence-based resettlement pathway that keeps women out of prison and in recovery, reducing reoffending and saving public money. The health economics analysis will also tell funders and commissioners whether the model offers value for money. This is applied health and social care research. It is designed to directly inform policy and commissioning decisions within the next few years, not to generate fundamental scientific insights.
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Research question: What is the potential of a resettlement pathway for drug dependent criminalised women (DDCW) leaving prison, comprising immediate transfer to a women-only, gender- and trauma-informed residential rehabilitation, in achieving long term recovery from dependent drug use? Background: DDCW face many challenges in attempting to recover from drug use, particularly within the prison system and on release, and the quality of care and continuity of treatment for these women remains insufficient. A resettlement pathway from prison to G&TI RR could offer a safe recovery trajectory for DDCW and provide effective support in helping them to sustain their recovery long term. However, there is limited evidence on the benefits of G&TI RR compared to generic drug treatment. Aims and Objectives: to assess the potential of a resettlement pathway for DDCW leaving prison, comprising immediate transfer to a women-only, G&TI RR facility in achieving long term recovery from dependent drug use. Methods comprising six work packages: WP1: Narrative literature review on what works with DDCW drawing on international evidence. WP2: National Drug Treatment Monitoring System analysis to assess drug treatment access, engagement and outcomes for women in prison and on release, and to ascertain if their status as criminalised women influences that outcome. WP3: Interviews with commissioners and drug strategy prison leads to ascertain whether they are able to commission and deliver effective drug treatment services that meet the needs of their population (including DDCW). WP4: Interviews/focus groups with key stakeholders and service users to assess the challenges of transitioning DDCW from prison to G&TI RR. WP5: Feasibility study to inform the design, planning and justification for an RCT and to ensure that a full RCT is possible or whether a different methodology might be more appropriate. WP6: An informative health economics analysis exploring the scope of costs, benefits and value for money of G&TI RR for DDCW. Timeline: The work will start in May 2025 and run for two years: M1-3: Development of research tools; negotiation of access to prisons; ethics application; feasibility study protocol development. Completion of WP1. M6: First Advisory Group meeting. M3-12: Fieldwork WP2,3&4. M12: 2nd Advisory Group meeting; interim report to NIHR. M3-24: WP5: Feasibility study & WP6: Health Economic analysis. M18: 3rd Advisory Group meeting. M6-22: Analysis and report writing. M23: Final Advisory Group meeting to discuss findings and next steps. M24: Submission of final report to NIHR. Impact and dissemination: Key outputs will include: - A final report to the NIHR PRP. - At least six academic papers based on our six Work Packages. - At least four conference presentations at notable criminology and addiction conferences. - Articles in professional publications such as Drink and Drug News, The Conversation, Prison Service Journal, and Probation Quarterly. Our emphasis will be on reaching broader audiences beyond academia, using press releases, social media, and collaborating with policy makers, practitioners, and lived experience groups. Presentations within government departments and All-Party Parliamentary Groups will ensure that the findings influence policy. Post-study, the team plans to continue influencing work, including organising a conference for key stakeholders.
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