NCJ Number
60679
Date Published
1979
Length
60 pages
Annotation
THE EVALUATION SOUGHT TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ESCAMBIA, FLA., TASC (TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES TO STREET CRIME) PROJECT IN REDUCING THE INCIDENCE OF DRUG ABUSE AND DRUG-RELATED CRIME AMONG TASC CLIENTS.
Abstract
THIS REPORT RELATES THE FINDINGS OF PHASE ONE OF THE EVALUATION, WHICH EXAMINED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE IMMEDIATE RESULTS AND THE INPUTS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE PROJECT. PHASE ONE ANALYZED THE PROCESS AND SERVED AS A FEEDBACK MECHANISM TO PROJECT STAFF AND DECISIONMAKERS. EVALUATION FINDINGS SHOW THAT THE TASC SYSTEM IS OPERATING AS AN EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR THE IDENTIFICATION, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT REFERRAL, AND SUPERVISION OF DRUG-ABUSING CRIMINAL OFFENDERS IN ESCAMBIA COUNTY, AS EVIDENCED BY A 68 PERCENT CLIENT SUCCESS RATE DURING THE STUDY YEAR (1979). IN ADDITION, ONLY 5.6 PERCENT OF TASC CLIENTS WERE REARRESTED WHILE IN TREATMENT, AND 96 PERCENT OF TASC URINALYSIS REPORTS INDICATED NO DRUG USAGE AMONG CLIENTS. AN ANALYSIS OF CLIENT CHARACTERISTICS SHOWS THAT THE AVERAGE TASC CLIENT IS YOUNG, WHITE, MALE, AND SINGLE, WITH LESS THAN A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, WHO WORKS IN A LOW-SKILLED JOB, USES A VARIETY OF DRUGS, AND HAS A HISTORY OF CRIMINAL ARRESTS. AN ANALYSIS OF COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TASC INDICATES THAT THE COST OF PROCESSING A CLIENT THROUGH THE TASC SYSTEM IS ABOUT $2.06 A DAY. ON THE AVERAGE, THE PER DIEM COSTS OF TASC ARE ABOUT 23 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE MEAN PER DIEM COSTS OF INCARCERATION. TABLES ARE INCLUDED; A DESIGN PLAN FOR PHASE TWO IS APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)