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First inmate gets injection in Knox County treatment program

A Knox County pilot program to help criminal defendants injected its first participant on Monday with a drug that suppresses the desire for opioids.

A select group on nonviolent offenders at the Knox County jail are taking part in the yearlong "A Shot at Life: Medication-Assisted Treatment" program. 

Knox County - and East Tennessee - are in the throes of an opioid abuse epidemic. White House leaders have traveled here to talk about it, local law enforcement has gone to Washington to talk about it and state and area health professionals have been discussing how to combat it.

PREVIOUS: Inmates to get injections in Knox County treatment program

The goal is to give people a second chance at life without addiction and reduce crime in Knox county.

"The reason many of these inmates are in here is because they're feeding an addiction," said Lee Tramel, chief of administration for the Knox County Sheriff's Office, "so if we can stop the addiction, we can stop the crime." 

Tramel said the program will work like an enhanced probation. If offenders do not follow the guidelines of the program regarding the shots and other treatment, they could land back in jail. 

"To be selected for this program, it's huge," he said. "It's like hitting the lottery for many people because it's an expensive proposition to treat someone for drug addiction." 

On Monday, Gregory Fox became the first inmate to receive the Vivitrol injection.

He said his addiction problem started in 1992 after falling more than 90 feet off of a cliff while rock climbing. A doctor prescribed prescription pain medication, and he said that turned into a morphine addiction. 

"I couldn't tell you the last time I've actually been high," he said. "I just do it to function basically. I basically just take pills to be able to work." 

Fox is set to be released in seven days. He will then receive shots every 28 days for a year.  This is in addition to receiving wraparound care to address the psychological aspects of substance abuse at the Helen Ross McNabb Center.

Twenty-nine other inmates will participate in the program, but they have not all been selected yet.

"I've never done rehab or anything like that, and so this is the best chance I've ever had at succeeding in something and not getting back on it," Fox said.

Inmates selected for the program are approved by both the District Attorney and the Helen Ross McNabb center. It's funded through a grant from the Trinity Health foundation of East Tennessee. 

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