NCJ Number
171334
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 76 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1996) Pages: 253-274
Date Published
1996
Length
22 pages
Annotation
The community residential phase of a prison-based program for drug-using women, the Forever Free Substance Abuse Program, at the California Institute for Women was evaluated based on interviews with three groups: program graduates who entered residential treatment, program graduates who did not enter residential treatment, and women who applied to the program but were not able to enter.
Abstract
Of 127 women eligible to participate in the evaluation, interviews were obtained from 64, or 50.4 percent. The evaluation examined treatment experiences, needs, and services received. The specific focus was on how particular conditions 1 year after release from prison were related to parole outcome and drug use and on how needs were met for women who participated in the program. Findings showed women's needs for relapse prevention training and drug treatment were not met. Women often did not complete treatment, but women who participated in community residential treatment had lower self-reported drug use rates and higher levels of successful parole discharge than women in the other two groups. Even when women entered treatment, length of stay in treatment tended to be short. Women who participated in treatment said group and individual counseling sessions were most helpful. The authors conclude multiple needs beyond drug treatment must be addressed to increase treatment entry and improve retention in treatment programs. 15 references, 2 notes, and 7 tables