NCJ Number
48089
Date Published
1976
Length
55 pages
Annotation
A COMMUNITY-BASED, NONRESIDENTIAL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM AMONG JUST-RELEASED OFFENDERS WITH DRUG ABUSE PROBLEMS AND A PRISON-BASED ALCOHOL COUNSELING AND TREATMENT PROJECT ARE EVALUATED.
Abstract
PROJECT FIRE (FACILITATING INTEGRATION AND RE-ENTRY EXPERIENCE), ESTABLISHED IN 1972, AND PROJECT ACT (ALCOHOL COUNSELING AND TREATMENT), IN 1974, ARE ADMINISTERED BY THE ADDICTION SERVICES DIVISION OF THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. FIRE WAS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS ADDICT/OFFENDER PROBLEMS OF REENTRY IN THE AREAS OF HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS, TO FOCUS PARTICULARLY ON THE DRUG OR ALCOHOL DEPENDENCY OF CLIENTS, AND TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM. FIRE PERSONNEL IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CLIENTS THROUGH PRISON ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELORS. CLIENTS ARE SELECTED THROUGH PRE-RELEASE INTERVIEWS. INDIVIDUALIZED COUNSELING AND THE USE OF COMMUNITY SERVICES ON BEHALF OF CLIENTS ARE THE PRINCIPAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY FIRE. USING RECIDIVISM RATE AS THE MEASURE OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS, THE EVALUATION COMPARED THE RECIDIVISM RATE OF FIRE CLIENTS WITH THAT OF A CONTROL GROUP. THE FIVE FIRE OFFICES PROVIDED INPROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION ON 225 CLIENTS WHO WERE IN THE PROGRAM DURING THE PERIOD 1972 THROUGH MID-1975. THE AVERAGE STAY IN THE PROGRAM WAS 5.5 MONTHS. SLIGHTLY LESS THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE CASELOAD LEFT THE PROGRAM FOR VARIOUS REASONS. THE REST WERE CLASSIFIED AS 'INACTIVE,' MEANING THEY HAD SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM. AFTER REMOVING WOMEN CLIENTS AND CLIENTS WITH ALCOHOL PROBLEMS, 202 CLIENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. A FOLLOWUP OF CLIENTS AND A CONTROL GROUP OF MALE OFFENDERS WITH PREVIOUS DRUG PROBLEMS WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE IF PROJECT FIRE REDUCED RECIDIVISM. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT CHARACTERISTICS OF BOTH GROUPS WERE NOT SUFFICIENTLY DIFFERENT IN INDICATING TENDENCIES TO RECIDIVATE. DESCRIPTIVE AND TRACKING INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FOR THE 202 FIRE CLIENTS AND 66 PERSONS IN THE CONTROL GROUP. STATISTICALLY, THE RECIDIVISM RATE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER FOR THE FIRE CLIENTS OVER 12 MONTHS AT THE 5 PERCENT LEVEL. PROJECT ACT WAS ESTABLISHED WITHIN STATE PRISONS TO FACILITATE ALCOHOLIC INMATES IN OBTAINING HELP THROUGH INVOLVEMENT IN APPROPRIATE TREATMENT PROGRAMS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ADDITIONAL PROGRAM DATA IS REQUIRED FOR EVALUATION. CASELOAD INTAKE AND LEVEL OF CASELOAD INVOLVEMENT IN AVAILABLE ACTIVITIES ARE CONSIDERED ILL DEFINED. TABLES OF DATA AND OTHER INFORMATION ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)