NCJ Number
202337
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 67 Issue: 2 Dated: September 2003 Pages: 27-31
Date Published
September 2003
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study examined the effectiveness of an enhanced employment intervention drug court treatment program.
Abstract
The importance of employment to drug and alcohol treatment cannot be overemphasized. Studies have shown that steady employment is a protective factor against relapse, as well as against recidivism for offenders. Additionally, stable employment is related to other variables that contribute to treatment outcomes, such as healthy social networks and improved self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to compare the treatment outcomes among a sample of drug court participants who were enrolled in an enhanced employment intervention treatment program versus the treatment outcomes among a sample of participants who were enrolled in drug court as usual. The authors interviewed 500 Kentucky drug court participants, who were randomly assigned to either drug court as usual or to the enhanced employment intervention program. The interview included measures of employment, drug and alcohol use, criminal justice involvement, health and mental health, and HIV risk behavior. Results revealed that drug court participants who received the enhanced employment intervention model were more likely to remain in drug court longer, to have higher self-esteem as a result of the employment intervention, and to upgrade their employment more often. In conclusion, the authors found that the participants who received the enhanced employment intervention model faired better overall with their treatment outcomes than did the participants who received drug court as usual. The findings bolster claims that steady employment is one of the most important factors in the treatment of drug and alcohol dependency. Tables, references