NCJ Number
149553
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: May 1994 Pages: 14-17
Date Published
May 1994
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This study examined the effect of neuropsychological impairment, defined broadly as psychological or physiological problems caused by injury or damage to the brain, on offenders who completed the Offender Substance Abuse Pre-Release Program in Canada.
Abstract
The Offender Substance Abuse Pre-Release Program (OSAPP) provides cognitive-behavioral substance abuse treatment designed for offenders who have moderately severe drug or alcohol problems. Treatment modules address alcohol and drug education, self-management, problem solving, cognitive and behavioral skills training, social skills, job skills, refresher training, leisure and lifestyle planning, relapse prevention, and prerelease planning. The study sample consisted of 122 offenders who completed the program at Bath Institution, a minimum-security Federal institution, between January 1990 and August 1992. Data were obtained on neuropsychological impairment, offense characteristics, substance abuse severity, intermediate treatment outcomes, and postrelease outcomes. Two major findings emerged. First, even though the offenders with neuropsychological impairment (n=32) and those without did not differ in preprogram to postprogram improvement, the offenders with neuropsychological problems did perform comparatively poorly according to the performance index, which combines various assessment measures. Second, readmission rates did not differ significantly between those with and without neuropsychological disorders. The finding that there were no differences in readmission rates suggests that the OSAPP holds promise for addressing the substance abuse treatment needs of offenders with neuropsychological disorders. 2 figures and 22 notes