NCJ Number
51931
Date Published
1979
Length
162 pages
Annotation
METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS ARE REPORTED FOR THE PHASE II EVALUATION OF THE NATIONAL TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES TO STREET CRIME (TASC) PROGRAM, A PROJECT THAT OFFERS ALTERNATIVES FOR PROCESSING THE DRUG ABUSING OFFENDER.
Abstract
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 40 EXISTING TASC PROJECTS OPERATIONAL IN THE U.S. AND ITS TERRITORIES. THE PRIMARY TASC FUNCTIONS INCLUDE THE SCREENING OF THE ARRESTEE POPULATION TO IDENTIFY DRUG ABUSING OFFENDERS, THE DIAGNOSIS OF DRUG PROBLEMS AND REFERRAL TO COMMUNITY-BASED TREATMENT, AND THE MONITORING OF PROGRESS IN TREATMENT TO PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE EVALUATION WAS TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH TASC MEETS ITS GOALS AND FULFILLS ITS FUNCTIONS BY ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TASC'S PROCEDURES FOR POTENTIAL CLIENT IDENTIFICATION, DIAGNOSIS, REFERRAL, AND MONITORING, AS WELL AS TO ANALYZE THE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF THE TASC PROCESS. THE EVALUATION WAS BASED ON A SAMPLING OF TASC PROJECTS, INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS OF CLIENT DATA, EXAMINATIONS OF BUDGET AND EXPENDITURE DATA, AND DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE EVALUATORS AND THE INDIVIDUAL TASC STAFFS REGARDING THE INITIAL FINDINGS. THE MAJOR CONCLUSIONS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: (1) TASC IDENTIFICATION, SCREENING, DIAGNOSIS, REFERRAL, AND CLIENT MONITORING PROCEDURES WERE PERFORMED EFFECTIVELY; (2) THE 12 PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THIS EVALUATION ACCOUNTED FOR 4,598 CLIENT ADMISSIONS DURING THE STUDY YEAR, WITH 52.9 PERCENT ADMITTED TO TASC PRIOR TO TRIAL, 44.6 PERCENT POSTTRIAL, AND 2.6 PERCENT UNDETERMINED; (3) TASC WAS A POSITIVE FACTOR IN THE TREATMENT PROCESS THAT ACHIEVED IMPRESSIVE SUCCESS RATES, CONSIDERING THE SERIOUS CRIMES AND DRUG INVOLVEMENT OF THE OFFENDERS; (4) TASC PROJECTS PROVIDED A PROGRESSIVE ELEMENT IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ENVIRONMENT, AND OFTEN WERE A LEADING CHANGE FACTOR YIELDING BENEFITS TO THE OFFENDER, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THE TREATMENT COMMUNITY; (5) PROJECTS SUCCEEDED OR FAILED BASED ON THE QUALITY OF THE STAFF RATHER THAN THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OR OTHER FACTORS; (6) POOR RECORDKEEPING AND INADEQUATE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT WERE WIDESPREAD AMONG THE TASC PROJECTS REVIEWED; AND (7) TASC OFFERED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM A BENEFICIAL AND COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE FOR DRUG ABUSING OFFENDERS. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY DATA ARE APPENDED.