Violent Reoffending Is Reduced by Psychotropic Medications

Programs to reduce recidivism in prison populations have focused mostly on psychosocial factors. However, the high prevalence of mental illness and substance abuse in prisoners suggests that pharmacotherapy for these conditions might also reduce recidivism. These researchers studied Swedish registries that covered 22,275 released prisoners to examine the link between dispensed psychotropic medications (in 9915 released prisoners) and violent reoffending (in 4031).

Violent reoffending was significantly reduced with dispensed antipsychotics, psychostimulants, and antiaddiction treatments (e.g., smoking, alcohol, and opioid-addiction medications) — 21.7, 33.9, and 27.5 fewer violent offenses per 1000 person-years, respectively. In within-indivi…