Substance use disorders, severe mental illness and risk of reoffending among women released from prison: a national cohort study

Abstract Women with a clinical history of a severe mental illness (SMI) or multiple mental disorders involving substance use disorder (SUD) might be at increased risk of re-offending after release from prison. This retrospective cohort study merged data from the Norwegian prison release study (nPRIS...

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Main Authors: Vegard Svendsen, Marianne Riksheim Stavseth, Torbjørn Skardhamar, Ingrid Amalia Havnes, Anne Bukten
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00215-y
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author Vegard Svendsen
Marianne Riksheim Stavseth
Torbjørn Skardhamar
Ingrid Amalia Havnes
Anne Bukten
author_facet Vegard Svendsen
Marianne Riksheim Stavseth
Torbjørn Skardhamar
Ingrid Amalia Havnes
Anne Bukten
author_sort Vegard Svendsen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Women with a clinical history of a severe mental illness (SMI) or multiple mental disorders involving substance use disorder (SUD) might be at increased risk of re-offending after release from prison. This retrospective cohort study merged data from the Norwegian prison release study (nPRIS) with other registry sources. All women released from a Norwegian prison between 2011–2019 were followed for two years after date of release. Adjusting for several known risk factors, we used logistic regression to estimate risk of violent (VR), drug-related (DR) or other reoffending (ORE) after release among women with a history of SUD and severe mental illness (SUD-SMI), SMI, SUD and other mental illness (SUD-OMI) or a history of multiple SUDs (POLY-SUD) in comparison to a reference population with no history of such disorders or combination of disorders. Relative to the reference population, after adjusting for other relevant risk factors, women with a history of SUD-SMI (ORVR 2.27, 95% CI 1.37–3.76; ORDR 2.10, 95% CI 1.49–2.95), SUD-OMI (ORVR 1.81, 95% CI 1.11–2.47; ORDR 1.53, 95% CI 1.11–2.10) or POLY-SUD (ORVR 1.87, 95% CI 1.04–3.31; ORDR 2.51, 95% CI 1.80–3.49) were at significantly greater risk of violent and drug-related reoffending. Women with a history of SMI were at significantly greater risk of other reoffending (ORORE 2.64, 95% CI 1.21–5.30). Women with a clinical history of a severe mental illness (SMI) or multiple mental disorders involving substance use disorder (SUD) have an elevated risk reoffending.
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spelling doaj-art-bc5ab32954e84e7eb82144ff6afaf6f12025-08-20T01:47:29ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-00215-ySubstance use disorders, severe mental illness and risk of reoffending among women released from prison: a national cohort studyVegard Svendsen0Marianne Riksheim Stavseth1Torbjørn Skardhamar2Ingrid Amalia Havnes3Anne Bukten4Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of OsloNorwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of OsloDepartment of Sociology and Human Geography, University of OsloDivision of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University HospitalNorwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of OsloAbstract Women with a clinical history of a severe mental illness (SMI) or multiple mental disorders involving substance use disorder (SUD) might be at increased risk of re-offending after release from prison. This retrospective cohort study merged data from the Norwegian prison release study (nPRIS) with other registry sources. All women released from a Norwegian prison between 2011–2019 were followed for two years after date of release. Adjusting for several known risk factors, we used logistic regression to estimate risk of violent (VR), drug-related (DR) or other reoffending (ORE) after release among women with a history of SUD and severe mental illness (SUD-SMI), SMI, SUD and other mental illness (SUD-OMI) or a history of multiple SUDs (POLY-SUD) in comparison to a reference population with no history of such disorders or combination of disorders. Relative to the reference population, after adjusting for other relevant risk factors, women with a history of SUD-SMI (ORVR 2.27, 95% CI 1.37–3.76; ORDR 2.10, 95% CI 1.49–2.95), SUD-OMI (ORVR 1.81, 95% CI 1.11–2.47; ORDR 1.53, 95% CI 1.11–2.10) or POLY-SUD (ORVR 1.87, 95% CI 1.04–3.31; ORDR 2.51, 95% CI 1.80–3.49) were at significantly greater risk of violent and drug-related reoffending. Women with a history of SMI were at significantly greater risk of other reoffending (ORORE 2.64, 95% CI 1.21–5.30). Women with a clinical history of a severe mental illness (SMI) or multiple mental disorders involving substance use disorder (SUD) have an elevated risk reoffending.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00215-ySubstance use disordersRecidivismDual disordersPsychiatric comorbidityPrisonWomen’s health
spellingShingle Vegard Svendsen
Marianne Riksheim Stavseth
Torbjørn Skardhamar
Ingrid Amalia Havnes
Anne Bukten
Substance use disorders, severe mental illness and risk of reoffending among women released from prison: a national cohort study
Scientific Reports
Substance use disorders
Recidivism
Dual disorders
Psychiatric comorbidity
Prison
Women’s health
title Substance use disorders, severe mental illness and risk of reoffending among women released from prison: a national cohort study
title_full Substance use disorders, severe mental illness and risk of reoffending among women released from prison: a national cohort study
title_fullStr Substance use disorders, severe mental illness and risk of reoffending among women released from prison: a national cohort study
title_full_unstemmed Substance use disorders, severe mental illness and risk of reoffending among women released from prison: a national cohort study
title_short Substance use disorders, severe mental illness and risk of reoffending among women released from prison: a national cohort study
title_sort substance use disorders severe mental illness and risk of reoffending among women released from prison a national cohort study
topic Substance use disorders
Recidivism
Dual disorders
Psychiatric comorbidity
Prison
Women’s health
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00215-y
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