Therapeutic communities for people with addictive disorders in prison settings: an analytical review

<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Context and relevance.</strong> Addictive disorders represent a serious problem in the penitentiary system, where up to 67% of convicts suffer from substance use disorders. Traditional rehabilitation programs are characterized by fragmentation, personnel shortages and short-term interventions, which limits their effectiveness. <strong>Objective.</strong> To substantiate therapeutic communities as a scientific and practical alternative to traditional rehabilitation programs in places of deprivation of liberty. <strong>Hypothesis.</strong> The synthesis of group dynamics, digital technologies and interdepartmental interaction implemented in therapeutic communities is capable of transforming penitentiary rehabilitation into a highly effective tool for improving quality of life, increasing resocialization rates of convicts and enhancing social security. <strong>Methods and materials. </strong>An analytical review of scientific literature was conducted. Search and selection of sources was carried out in PubMed, eLibrary and Google Scholar databases using key queries: “therapeutic communities”, “addiction rehabilitation”, “resocialization of convicts”. Peer-reviewed articles, monographs, government reports (FSIN of Russia, MVD, WHO) and clinical guidelines were included. <strong>Results. </strong>Therapeutic communities demonstrate a 45-50% reduction in recidivism and a two-thirds reduction in psychoactive substance use. Program duration of 12-18 months corresponds to neurobiological data on the time required to rebuild maladaptive neural networks. The economic efficiency of the method is 7:1 (return on investment). <strong>Conclusions.</strong> Therapeutic communities represent a scientifically based multidisciplinary rehabilitation model that integrates the principles of activity theory, social philosophy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Key advantages include the synergy of a structured immersive environment and group dynamics, as well as the ability to scale through digital platforms.</p>