title: A rapid systematic review of what we know about alcohol use disorders and brief interventions in the criminal justice system.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence of alcohol use disorders within the different stages of the criminal justice system in the UK. Furthermore it reviewed the worldwide evidence of alcohol brief interventions in the various stages of the criminal justice system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A rapid systematic review of publications was conducted from the year 2000 to 2014 regarding the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in the various stages of the criminal justice system. The second part of the work was a rapid review of effectiveness studies of interventions for alcohol brief interventions. Studies were included if they had a comparison group. Worldwide evidence was included that consisted of up to three hours of face-to-face brief intervention either in one session or numerous sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This review found that 64-88 per cent of adults in the police custody setting; 95 per cent in the magistrate court setting; 53-69 per cent in the probation setting and 5,913-863 per cent in the prison system and 64 per cent of young people in the criminal justice system in the UK scored positive for an alcohol use disorder. There is very little evidence of effectiveness of brief interventions in the various stages of the criminal justice system mainly due to the lack of follow-up data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brief alcohol interventions have a large and robust evidence base for reducing alcohol use in risky drinkers, particularly in primary care settings. However, there is little evidence of effect upon drinking levels in criminal justice settings. Whilst the approach shows promise with some effects being shown on alcohol-related harm as well as with young people in the USA, more robust research is needed to ascertain effectiveness of alcohol brief interventions in this setting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper provides evidence of alcohol use disorders in the different stages of the criminal justice system in the UK using a validated tool as well as reviewing the worldwide evidence for short ( < three hours) alcohol brief intervention in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Alcohol and Public Health Research, Health and Social Care Institute, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Newbury-Birch
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McGovern
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaner
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sondhi
authors.forename: Kieran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lynch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003416:Criminal Law; D005260:Female; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011330:Prisons; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Criminal justice system; Harm reduction; Offender health; Public health; Substance abuse; Young offenders