Correctional Alternatives for Drug Offenders in an Era of Overcrowding (From Drug Use and Drug Policy, P 24-44, 1997, Marilyn McShane, Frank P. Williams, III, eds. - See NCJ-168395)

• NCJ Number: 168397
• Author(s): T R Clear; V B Clear; A A Braga
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 21 pages
• Grant Number(s): 87-DD-CX-002
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Sale Source: Garland Publishing, Inc.
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

This article argues that patterns in the relationship between drug use and criminal behavior call for different correctional strategies.

Abstract

The article describes the major types of correctional alternatives currently in use: (1) shock incarceration; (2) residential centers; (3) financial penalties; (4) community service; (5) conventional probation; (6) intensive supervision programs; (7) electronic monitoring; (8) urine testing; (9) antidote drugs; (10) treatment; and (11) jail and prison. The article also develops a set of principles in the application of these alternatives: (a) Alternatives are susceptible to net-widening; (b) It is easier to contain costs than to reduce them; (c) The costs of tough enforcement can be considerable; and (d) All alternatives impose opportunity costs. For effective use of alternatives with drug offenders the offenders should be assigned to programs that fit their drug-crime behavior. Workers with these offenders should expect high rates of failure and prepare programming options, should focus on the goal of reducing the pains of drugs, and should remember that there are no "pure" types and no "perfect" programs. Figure, table, references