Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (From Compulsory Treatment of Drug Abuse: Research and Clinical Practice, P 99-105, 1988, Carl G Leukefeld and Frank M Tims, eds. -- See NCJ-115939)

• NCJ Number: 115942
• Author(s): L F Cook; B A Weinman
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC) programs make community-based treatment available to drug-dependent persons who would otherwise become involved with the criminal justice system and have proven to be effective intervention to reduce both drug abuse and criminal activity.

Abstract

TASC programs began nearly 15 years ago in response to recognized links between substance abuse and criminal behavior. TASC combines the influence of legal sanctions for probable or proven crimes with the appeal of a variety of innovative dispositions. Through treatment referral and closely supervised community reintegration, TASC aims to interrupt permanently the cycle of addiction, criminality, arrest, prosecution, conviction, incarceration, release, readdiction, criminality, and rearrest. The majority of the 40 local assessments of TASC programs have found the programs to be effective in reducing drug abuse and criminality, linking the criminal justice and treatment systems, and identifying previously untreated drug-dependent offenders. National evaluations have shown the TASC model to be a beneficial and cost-effective alternative to the criminal justice system for drug-abusing offenders. Successful program elements include the establishment of broad support by the criminal justice and treatment systems, the use of appropriate eligibility criteria, and a comprehensive monitoring system. Footnotes and 3 references.