NCJ Number
32493
Date Published
1975
Length
200 pages
Annotation
REVIEW OF EXISTING LITERATURE AND WORK RELATED TO THIS PROGRAM WHICH EVOLVED FROM OBSERVATIONS THAT MANY DRUG DEPENDENT PEOPLE ENGAGED IN STREET CRIME TO SUPPORT THEIR HABITS AND WERE OFTEN ARRESTED, RELEASED, AND REARRESTED.
Abstract
TO BREAK THIS CYCLE, 36 TASC PROJECTS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO HELP CHANNEL DRUG DEPENDENT ARRESTEES INTO REHABILITATIVE TREATMENT PROGRAMS. THIS STATE OF KNOWLEDGE STUDY INCLUDED REVIEW OF EXISTING EVALUATIONS OF TASC PROJECTS, RELATED MATERIALS ON TASC PROGRAM OPERATIONS, STUDIES WHICH ADDRESS THE VALIDITY OF MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING THE TASC PROGRAM AND POSSIBLE DATA SOURCES FOR TASC ANALYSIS. IN ADDITION TO REVIEWING THESE MATERIALS, PRESENTING THE MAJOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS AND GAPS IDENTIFIED, THIS PAPER SUGGESTS SEVERAL ISSUES VITAL TO TASC EVALUATION AND SUMMARIZES THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THEM. LIMITED FOLLOW-UP OF TASC CLIENTS, FEW COMPARISONS OF TASC CLIENTS' OUTCOMES WITH THOSE OF OTHER GROUPS, AND POOR DATA AVAILABLE FOR USE IN ANALYSIS WERE IDENTIFIED AS THE THREE MOST SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES OF THE EXISTING TASC STUDIES. FIVE ISSUES CITED FOR FUTURE EVALUATION INCLUDE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE PROGRAM HELPS REDUCE DRUG-RELATED CRIME, THE PROGRAM'S EFFECT IN DECREASING THE BURDENS ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, DETERMINATION OF APPROPRIATE MEASURES OF PROGRAM AND CLIENT SUCCESS, IDENTIFICATION OF SUCCESS FACTORS, AND AN ANALYSIS OF THE PROGRAM'S OVERALL COST-BENEFIT EFFECTS. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS A FIVE-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY AND A DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE DATA FOR TASC ANALYSIS. FOR OTHER WORKING PAPERS IN THIS SERIES, SEE NCJ-32494-97 AND NCJ-34057. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)