NCJ Number
45729
Editor(s)
G A AUSTIN,
D J LETTIERI
Date Published
1977
Length
169 pages
Annotation
SELECTED EMPIRICAL RESEARCH STUDIES DEALING WITH THE GENERAL TOPICS OF DRUGS AND THE LAW AND TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF THE DRUG OFFENDER ARE SUMMARIZED.
Abstract
SUMMARIES ARE PRESENTED OF MAJOR RESEARCH AND THEORETICAL STUDIES EXPLORING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE INTERRELATIONSHIP OF DRUG USE, CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, AND THE LAW. ATTITUDES TOWARD DRUG LAWS, EFFECTS OF DRUG LAWS, AND PATTERNS OF ENFORCEMENT ARE THE TOPICS TREATED UNDER THE GENERAL SUBJECT OF DRUGS AND THE LAW. IN EXPLORING ATTITUDES TOWARD DRUG LAWS, ONE STUDY SURVEYS OPINIONS ON THE LEGALIZATION OF DRUG USE, PARTICULARLY MARIHUANA. ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON THE ATTITUDES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL THEMSELVES, AND THE EFFECTS OF THEIR ATTITUDES ON THE OPERATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. IN CONSIDERING THE EFFECTS OF DRUG LAWS, OF PRIMARY INTEREST IS RESEARCH ON THE EFFECT OF HARSH DRUG LAWS, SUCH AS THOSE PASSED BY NEW YORK STATE, AS WELL AS ON THE EFFECT OF RECENT DECRIMINALIZATION IN SOME STATE OF PREVIOUSLY PROHIBITED DRUG USE. UNDER THE TOPIC OF PATTERNS OF ENFORCEMENT, ISSUES REVOLVE AROUND HOW, AND HOW EFFECTIVELY, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ACTUALLY ENFORCES EXISTING DRUG STATUTES. UNDER THE SECOND GENERAL SUBJECT OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF THE DRUG OFFENDER, THE TOPICS TREATED INCLUDE GENERAL READINGS, COMMUNITY-BASED COMPULSORY TREATMENT, CIVIL COMMITMENT IN CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK, THE HALFWAY HOUSE, PRISON-BASED TREATMENT, AND DRUG OFFENDERS ON PAROLE. OVERVIEWS OF, OR INTRODUCTIONS TO, RECENT DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHICH DEAL WITH DRUG OFFENDERS AND THEIR TREATMENT, PARTICULARLY ALTERNATIVES TO COURT PROCESSING, ARE CONSIDERED UNDER THE TOPIC OF GENERAL READINGS. MANY OF THE STUDIES FOCUSING ON COMMUNITY-BASED COMPULSORY TREATMENT ARE CONCERNED WITH THE TREATMENT OF THE ADDICT ON PROBATION OR PAROLE, AND THE CIVIL COMMITMENT APPROACH IS EXAMINED THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK EXPERIENCES. THE HALFWAY HOUSE IS EXPLORED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO STRAIGHT PAROLE AS A MEANS OF REDUCING RECIDIVISM OF NARCOTIC ADDICTS. STUDIES OF A VARIETY OF TREATMENT APPROACHES OPERATING IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE ALSO INCLUDED. IN VIEWING THE SITUATION OF DRUG OFFENDERS ON PAROLE, ONE STUDY FOCUSES ON THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE POSTRELEASE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PAROLEE AND THE OUTCOME OF HIS PAROLE, WHILE ANOTHER EXAMINES THE APPROACH OF HAVING FELLOW INMATES EVALUATE THE PROBABILITY OF A PERSON'S PAROLE SUCCESS. (RCB)