@drcconnell.bsky.social
Senior Research Fellow @ University of Stirling - researching health outcomes and experiences of people involved in the criminal justice system. Mental health & substance use focus. Occupational therapist. Figuring out blue sky #JusticeHealth #Research
Our work on pathways of care for mental health and substance use on release from prison raises Qs for public health and health services delivery
Made possible by a fab team & support from Stirling Uni & @sacasrstir.bsky.social
Press release:
www.stir.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...
#JusticeHealth
Great to see @drcconnell.bsky.social @kjellgren.bsky.social and colleagues' RELEASE research reported in news media π
Prisoners in Scotland face mental health and substance use crisis after release, research reveals.
#Health #Drugs #JusticeHealth #CrimSky #Criminology
www.stir.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...
RELEASE is part of our #JusticeHealth programme. More results soon
Led by me at @sacasrstir.bsky.social and Prof Kate Hunt. @kjellgren.bsky.social is lead Research Fellow
Funds: Chief Scientist Office
Thx to a fab team inc @jimwatsonmba.bsky.social @jsavinc.bsky.social and others not on bSky 3/3
Despite more contact with community services - people released need emergency care MUCH more than others for mental health and substance use
Community services must be equipped to meet the needs of people released, to prevent harmful and costly emergencies arising
2/3
1st results from #RELEASE: a population-level study into health on release from prison
People released have more contact with all services for mental health and substance use than similar people who haven't been in prison, especially acute/emergency
bmjopen.bmj.com/content/16/2...
1/3
A good step as unmet health needs of ppl on probation are stark, esp mental health and substance use
But... will referral into a creaking system be enough? Waiting lists ++ issue for all & this group face more barriers to seeking, accessing and sustaining care.... 2/2
#JusticeHealth
New pilot in England will 'allow clinicians to sit in on probation appointments' & refer ppl to services. 1/2
#JusticeHealth
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Thats a wrap. last conference of season & a joy to be back in #Helsingfors #Suomi 4 European Public Health #EPH2025 sharing RELEASE and networks results
10yrs ago I visited here & β€οΈ Vanha Vaasa as an occupational therapist on my journey to phd
#JusticeHealth
#Finland #Helsinki
#OccupationalTherapy
Come and see the RELEASE findings with @kjellgren.bsky.social at @addiction-ssa.org
#SSA2025
#JusticeHealth
Joining the substance use research community at @addiction-ssa.org conference til tomorrow. Check out
@kjellgren.bsky.social poster with early RELEASE results, examining substance use related health service contact on release from prison: prescription to A&E
#JusticeHealth
@sacasrstir.bsky.social
Are you an ESRC PhD student looking for an academic placement?
Work with the RELEASE dataset to understand post-imprisonment emergency service use: with me and @kjephd.bsky.social
Happy to answer Qs
www.sgsss.ac.uk/internship/c...
#JusticeHealth
@stirlingucu.bsky.social @sacasrstir.bsky.social
Congrats to fabulous RELEASE colleague @jsavinc.bsky.social for being an outstanding collaborator - nominated for the Stirling Uni Research Culture Awards
29.10.2025 10:42 β π 1 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Led by me and Prof Kate Hunt at University of Stirling w/ @kjellgren.bsky.social leading on analysis and super colleagues: @jsavinc.bsky.social @jimwatsonmba.bsky.social and Nadine Dougall, Amanj Kurdi, Emily Tweed, Christine Haddow, Ashley Brown, Tessa Parkes and Alistair Leyland
Funded by CSO 3/3
RELEASE: A population level retrospective cohort study
- examines mental health and substance use related healthcare contacts among people released from prison
- compares to similar people who haven't been in prison
- examines groups w/different characteristics and release-type
2/3
RELEASE protocol paper is out ijpds.org/article/view...
This paper, led by @kjellgren.bsky.social describes how we created the RELEASE dataset, what is in it, and plans for analysis
Results coming soon 1/3
#JusticeHealth
@sacasrstir.bsky.social @stirunicriminology.bsky.social
Shout out to the colleagues in these endeavours who are enjoying Praha in spirit only (sorry!)
@jessicagreenhalgh.bsky.social Morgan T @drdavegriffiths.bsky.social Josh D @jimwatsonmba.bsky.social @kjellgren.bsky.social
And many more involved in RELEASE, 3Ps and other projects
Today Iβm up twice at #WCP2025
First talking about the importance of relational contexts for mental health help-seeking among people in contact with the criminal justice system
Then cross programme reflections on involving this population in research
#JusticeHealth
@sacasrstir.bsky.social
The world psychiatric association picks its spots - last event I was at nearly 10 years ago fresh into PhD life, and now beautiful Praha, Δesko
#WCP2025
Conclusion: Lack of high-quality qualitative research exploring health impacts of mandatory SU treatment - esp for alcohol and outside USA
If implementing programmes:
- articulate your theory of change
- consider adverse consequences
- integrate harm reduction and wider health and social care 2/2
The first of our 2 reviews into mandatory substance use treatment is out
We examined perceptions of health and wellbeing impacts, and the barriers and facilitators for implementing such interventions... 1/2
rdcu.be/eI38A
#JusticeHealth
@sacasrstir.bsky.social @stirunicriminology.bsky.social
#ADRUKConf25
17.09.2025 08:41 β π 0 π 0 π¬ 0 π 0
Joining my first @adruk2025.bsky.social conference and looking forward to hearing so many linked data papers.
@kjellgren.bsky.social and @jsavinc.bsky.social will share preliminary results from RELEASE- examining the healthcare contacts between different people released from prison.
#JusticeHealth
Hear some preliminary findings from the RELEASE study at ADR-UK next week - post-imprisonment mental health and substance use related healthcare contacts
Abstract -> ijpds.org/article/view...
led by @jsavinc.bsky.social @kjellgren.bsky.social
@adruk2025.bsky.social
#JusticeHealth
#LinkedData
Great to be invited by the Criminal Justice Committee to share academic alongside frontline evidence. Excellent to hear the MSPs asking insightful questions to try and improve things for people in and leaving custody in Scotland
#JusticeHealth
@scotparl.bsky.social
2nd & 3rd yr SGSSS PhD students can come on academic placement with me & @kjellgren.bsky.social at @sacasrstir.bsky.social
Work with the RELEASE dataset examining health service contacts on release from prison
If eligible you'll have details in your inbox from
@sgsss.bsky.social
#JusticeHealth
Photo of a Victorian-era prison with a barbed wire fence in the foreground
Dr Catriona Connell will be giving evidence to Scottish Parliament Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday. It's part of their Inquiry into harm caused by substance misuse in Scottish prisons. See π for details.
@drcconnell.bsky.social @sacasrstir.bsky.social
π
www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-...
**important findings on universal mental well-being/health interventions in schools**
V important to measure harms: we should challenge introducing this type of programme - esp if reducing provision of targeted evidence based provision for CYP in need
www.nationalelfservice.net/populations-...
Great early morning panel talking about relational influences and the wider social context around people in contact with the justice system.
I think Iβm smiling to stop from melting in the Portsmouth heat
Today Iβm sharing more from our #justicehealth research at the British Soc Criminology Conference
- me and @drdavegriffiths.bsky.social developed a typology of the social networks of people in contact with the justice system, and explore how it influences behaviour
Come say hi - 830 LT3
#bsc2025
On behalf of a fab team - Iβll be talking about headline results from our justice health research programmes biggest study so far at #bsc2025 today
Shout out to @kjellgren.bsky.social @jsavinc.bsky.social and all the colleagues from Scotland involved ππ»