NCJ Number
132008
Journal
Alcohol, Drugs and Driving Volume: 6 Issue: 3-4 Dated: (July-December 1990) Pages: 161-168
Date Published
1990
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The objective is to describe the Intervention Approach as embodied in the widely replicated Weekend Intervention Program (WIP) which offers a method of substance abuse assessment, diagnosis, and treatment induction that appears to be both therapeutic and cost effective.
Abstract
The description outlines the conceptual roots and evolution of the Intervention Approach and the Weekend Intervention Program and includes a review of the data to evaluate the program's impact and process. Major programmatic goals of the intensive, 3-day WIP residential program to which persons involved in a drug or alcohol offense may be remanded by a court or other supervising agency include: to provide a comprehensive assessment of an individual's involvement with alcohol and other psychoactive drugs; to confront participant denial and encourage self-evaluation; and to prepare participants for treatment when necessary and increase their accessibility to treatment. A study of recidivism rates was conducted among offenders who were sentenced to jail for several days compared with those receiving a suspended sentence/fine and those remanded to the WIP. Repeat offenders consistently did worse than first-time offenders, but, with repeaters, the WIP enjoyed a lower recidivism rate than the other two groups. This investigation suggests that recidivism could be reduced if the referring court mandated the post-WIP treatment recommendations made by the WIP staff. 2 figures and 14 references (Author abstract modified)