DELAWARE - DIVISION OF DRUG ABUSE - ADULT CORRECTIONS DRUG COUNSELING UNIT - A PROJECT EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 29799
• Author(s): P ROBINSON
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 21 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Delaware Criminal Justice Planning Cmssn
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN ASSESSMENT OF THIS UNIT WHICH SCREENS, DIAGNOSES, AND EVALUATES INCARCERATED DRUG ABUSERS, AND WHERE APPROPRIATE, RECOMMENDS ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS.

Abstract

IN AUGUST 1974, THE DELAWARE AGENCY TO REDUCE CRIME AWARDED $34,000 TO THE DIVISION OF DRUG ABUSE FOR THE ADULT CORRECTIONS DRUG COUNSELING UNIT. THIS UNIT WAS COMPRISED OF THREE DRUG COUNSELORS AND A DRUG COUNSELOR SUPERVISOR WHO WERE HOUSED IN AN OFFICE IN THE DELAWARE CORRECTIONAL CENTER. THE PROPOSAL CONTAINED NO SECTION ENTITLED GOALS OR OBJECTIVES SO IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO EVALUATE THE PROJECT IN RELATION TO ACHIEVING SPECIFIC AND QUANTIFIABLE PURPOSES. HOWEVER, FROM THE PROJECT NARRATIVE, THE EVALUATOR DETERMINED THAT THE PROGRAM GOALS WERE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE INCARCERATED DRUG ABUSER, TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE RECIDIVISM, AND TO INCREASE THE USE OF ESTABLISHING POSITIVE TREATMENT, EDUCATION, SOCIAL, AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. PROGRAM OPERATIONS AND PROBLEMS ARE DESCRIBED. IT WAS FOUND THAT DURING THE PERIOD FROM AUGUST 1974 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1975, THE FOLLOWING NUMBER OF PERSONS WERE SERVICED: 256 SCREENED, 103 ADMITTED TO THE PROJECT, 69 RECOMMENDED FOR TREATMENT, AND 65 RELEASED TO A TREATMENT ALTERNATIVE. ACCORDING TO DATA PROVIDED BY THE PROJECT DIRECTOR AND RECORDS AT THE DELAWARE CORRECTIONAL CENTER, OF THE 65 PERSONS RELEASED TO DATE, ONLY SIX HAVE RETURNED TO PRISON FOR VIOLATING CONDITIONS OF THEIR RELEASE OR FOR NEW CHARGES. NINE OTHER RELEASED CLIENTS HAD BEEN RETURNED TO PRISON, BUT THESE CLIENTS HAD BEEN PLACED ON PRE-TRIAL RELEASE AND WERE RETURNED TO PRISON AS PART OF THEIR SENTENCE RATHER THAN FOR VIOLATING CONDITIONS OF RELEASE. THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM OF THE PROJECT WAS THE SEVERE STAFF SHORTAGE DURING ITS FIRST SEVEN MONTHS. CONSIDERING THE STAFF PROBLEMS, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE PROJECT PERFORMED WELL. THE FACT THAT OF THE 69 RECOMMENDATIONS MADE FOR ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT 65 WERE APPROVED WAS SEEN AS AN INDICATION OF THE THOROUGHNESS OF THE UNITS' SCREENING AND EVALUATIONS. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT A FORMAL FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURE BE IMPLEMENTED SO THAT THE IMPACT OF THE PROJECT CAN BE DETERMINED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)