NCJ Number
122591
Date Published
1990
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The Hillsborough County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office has developed an inmate drug treatment program that uses the relapse prevention model of treatment to help those with addictions to identify, recognize, and understand the individual factors that are antecedents to their drug use.
Abstract
The program was funded by a 1987 grant from the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau also provided a grant to the American Jail Association to provide technical assistance and support to the Florida site and two other sites. The first group of inmates began treatment in June 1988. Treatment takes place in small groups of 8 to 10 inmates. The relapse prevention groups aim to help them identify, recognize, and understand antecedents such as internal and external cues, urges and cravings, warning signs, and high-risk situations. The inmates learn specific coping skills for dealing with these antecedents, such as self-talk strategies, drug refusal skills, stress management, management of negative emotions, construction of a long-term plan for recovery, achievement of lifestyle balance, ways to develop alternate sources of positive reinforcement, and methods for dealing with a lapse if it should occur. Inmates are carefully screened before entering treatment. They are paired with senior inmates in a "big brother" approach and are offered three types of groups. Data from self-report questionnaires from 104 inmates show that most are male, identify cocaine as their main drug problem, have prior probation or parole violations, and are single or divorced. Other statistics focus on their prior treatment, employment, and psychological problems.