| Study | Setting | Intervention | Comparison group | Follow‐up period | Outcome type | Outcome description |
| Bayanzadeh, 2004 | Prison | Methadone treatment in combination with CBT and widely focused on coping and problem‐solving skills. | Non‐methadone drugs plus standard psychiatric services and therapeutic medications | 6 months | Biological drug use Self‐report drug use | Drug use yes/no Frequency of drug injections (percentage) Syringe sharing Morphine urine analysis |
| Cornish 1997 | Community | Naltrexone | Routine parole/probation | 6 months and during 6 months of treatment | Criminal activity dichotomous | % re‐incarcerated during 6 months of follow‐up |
| Coviello 2010 | Community | Naltrexone | Psychosocial treatment only | 6 months | Biological drug use dichotomous Criminal activity dichotomous | % positive urine drug screen opioids % positive urine drug screen cocaine % violating parole/probation |
| Cropsey 2011 | Community | Buprenorphine | Placebo | End of treatment 3 months | Biological drug use dichotomous Self‐report drug use dichotomous | % positive urine opiates % self‐report injection drug use |
| Dolan 2003 | Prison | Pharmacological (methadone) | Waiting list control | 4 months 2 months 3 months | Biological drug use continuous Biological drug use dichotomous Self‐report drug use dichotomous | % hair positive for morphine % self‐reported any injection % self‐reported heroin injection |
| Dole 1969 | Prison | Methadone | Waiting list control. | At between 7 and 10 months At 50 weeks | Biological drug use continuous Biological drug use dichotomous Self‐report drug use dichotomous | Heroin use Re‐incarceration Treatment retention Employment |
| Kinlock 2007 | Prison | Counselling + methadone initiation pre‐release(a) and post‐release (b) | Counselling only | 1 month 3 months 6 months 12 months | Biological drug use dichotomous Self‐report drug use dichotomous Criminal activity dichotomous | % positive for urine opioids % positive for urine cocaine % self‐reported 1 or more days heroin n used heroin for entire 180‐day follow‐up period Re‐incarcerated Self‐reported criminal activity |
| Kinlock 2005 | Prison | Prison based levo alpha acetyl methanol and transfer to methadone after release | untreated controls | During 9 months | Biological drug use dichotomous Self‐report drug use dichotomous Criminal activity dichotomous | Heroin use Arrest Re incarceration Frequency of illegal activity Admission drug use Average weekly income |
| Lobmaier 2010 | Prison | Naltrexone | Methadone | 6 months | Criminal activity continuous Criminal activity dichotomous Self‐report drug use continuous | Mean days of criminal activity % re‐incarcerated Mean days of heroin use Mean days of benzodiazepine use Mean days of amphetamine use |
| Lobmann 2007 | Community | Pharmacological (diamorphine) | Methadone | 12 months | Criminal activity dichotomous | % self‐reported criminal activity % police‐recorded offences |
| Magura 2009 | Prison | Buprenorphine | Methadone | 3 months | Criminal activity dichotomous Self‐report drug use continuous Self‐report drug use dichotomous | % re‐incarcerated % arrested for property crime % arrested for drug possession Mean days of heroin use % any heroin/opioid use |
