NCJ Number
80887
Date Published
1981
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This report presents data on drug abuse treatment programs in prisons of the 50 States and the District of Columbia. It is based on a 1979 survey and presents some information on drug abuse treatment in the Federal prison system as well.
Abstract
Corrections administrators in each State were contacted during 1979, and directors of drug abuse treatment programs in their States were interviewed. Institutions with treatment programs were State maximum, medium, and minimum security facilities, diagnostic facilities, work release centers, and, in one case, a central State laundry facility. From a total of 414 correctional institutions at the State level, 215 were identified as being serviced by some type of drug abuse treatment program. Because some programs serviced more than one institution, the number of programs came to 160. The report discusses the treatment approaches of the various programs; the types of drug abuse problems treated; the programs' source of funding; their screening and referral of inmates for treatment; the number of mandated referrals, staff referrals, and self-referrals in the States; the type of counseling used and the staff available; program capacity; use of a therapeutic community model; and program activities and special features. Findings reveal a wide variety of programs and generally reflect a national awareness of the need to treat drug-dependent inmates. While the rate of drug dependency in prisons is high, with an estimated 21 percent of State prison inmates having a history of heroin addiction and 61 percent having some history of drug abuse, the percentage of State prison inmates receiving treatment (4 percent) was low. Nonetheless, the overwhelming majority of States provide some form of treatment to dependent inmates. Slightly more than half of the 160 programs identified provide treatment for drug/alcohol dependency, while one-third of the program provide treatment for general drug abuse problems. In addition, 11 percent of the programs treated polydrug abuse and the remaining 4 percent were primarily for opiate dependency. The treatment programs varied widely in size, scope, staffing patterns, and kinds of services provided. The largest program (California) had an annual budget of $16 million. Few programs had psychologists or psychiatrists available, and nearly a third used volunteers in their staffing. All programs provided group counseling and most offered individual counseling. Prominent among the services delivered to clients were drug education, vocational counseling and training, and family therapy. Aftercare services were provided by almost half the programs. The Federal prison system also provides a variety of rehabilitation approaches in its 29 drug abuse treatment programs. Five references, one figure, and tabular data are provided.