NCJ Number
152138
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 58 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1994) Pages: 31-36
Date Published
1994
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the extent of drug use among offenders, the adequacy of current drug treatment programs, the effectiveness of various types of drug treatment programs, and the state-of-the art in criminal justice drug treatment.
Abstract
There has been a large influx of drug users in the criminal justice system since the early 1980's, and many of these individuals have problems serious enough to warrant treatment. The number of arrestees who need treatment relative to the number enrolled in treatment is approximately 16 to 1 for those who test positive for cocaine, 10 to 1 for those who test positive for opiates, and 12 to 1 for those who inject drugs. Less than one- third of the Nation's jails have a drug treatment program, and the majority of inmates with substance abuse problems do not receive treatment while in prison. Because there are a variety of limitations in the methodologies, it is difficult to make a definitive statement about the effectiveness of treatment programs geared for offenders; additional and more methodologically sound research on these programs is needed. Further research on matching offenders to appropriate treatments would also be valuable. Efforts to expand drug treatment for offenders have included deferred prosecution programs, supervised pretrial release with a condition of treatment, special drug courts, drug testing and evaluation programs, Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime, intensive supervision programs that require treatment, and jail-based and prison-based treatment. Ways in which the Federal Government can foster the development of effective offender drug treatment programs are suggested. 28 references