Research on forced drug treatment

In Denmark there are limited possibilities for forced treatment of drug and alcohol abusers. Force may only be used in connection with a contract on “voluntary force” in the treatment of pregnant alcohol abusers. In Sweden and Norway, legislation provides for the use of force, and in the US, force has long been used as an alternative to imprisonment.
The purpose of this report is to create an overview of research on the use of forced treatment of drug and alcohol abusers. The report emphasises particularly knowledge from the Nordic countries, and especially focuses on the effect of forced treatment of pregnant women.
The main conclusions collected from the studies show that the element of force is very complex and that any positive results depend on multiple factors. Some of these factors are the quality of treatment programmes, the capacity of the treatment facilities and whether the use of force is supported by the professional staff.
The survey was carried out according to the principles of the Campbell Method and conducted by SFI Campbell. It involves 70 studies, of which 42 are about the effect of forced treatment. The survey has been commissioned and financed by the Ministry of Social Affairs.