Abstract
The transition process of release from prisons into the community is associated with high risks for users of opioids. Especially in the first 10-14 days in freedom, the risk of drug-related overdoses is extremely high, in the worst case with lethal outcome. There are two main medical strategies for the target group: on the one hand, medication-assisted treatment before, during and after incarceration, and on the other hand, edcuation about and acccess to naloxone as an antidote in case of opioid-related overdose. This article gives an overview of current numbers of drug-related deaths after release from prison in Germany and of scientific knowledge regarding the efficacy of medication-assisted treatment and naloxone provision for opioid users at the interface of custody and freedom. Finally, necessary interventions to avoid drug-related overdose with lethal consequences are described. For this purpose, a selective literature review was carried out and 16 crime agencies in Germany were contacted.