Linsey Belisle, an assistant professor in the criminal justice department, recently published an article titled “What are community supervision officers’ knowledge and views of Naloxone? An exploratory study.”
Naloxone is a drug considered vital in combating the opioid epidemic, especially for justice-involved individuals at higher risk of drug-related deaths. However, the research finds that barriers exist for those under community supervision regarding access to the medication. In partnership with San Diego State University scholars, the study explores community supervision officers’ perceptions and knowledge of Naloxone through an online survey of officers who are members of the American Probation and Parole Association.
Findings indicate that while officers are generally aware of Naloxone, consistent training is needed to enhance knowledge, address stigmas, and better equip officers to support overdose prevention through harm reduction. Belisle concludes that future research is essential to overcome obstacles in distributing and using Naloxone to reduce overdose deaths among supervised individuals.