NCJ Number
181649
Date Published
February 2000
Length
36 pages
Annotation
Follow-up interviews with graduates of the therapeutic community program for drug treatment at the Ozark Correctional Center in Missouri were used to examine outcomes for inmates who completed the program, inmates who also took part in the work release program at the prison, program dropouts, and a comparison group that did not participate.
Abstract
The study used a specific redefinition of the design of a 1996 evaluation. The interviews took place at least 12 months after the men were released from the program. Outcome indicators for all comparisons included relapse, recidivism, employment status, participation in educational activities, and risk for AIDS and technical violations while on parole. It was difficult to assess the effect of participation in the program on the severity of relapse, because psychosocial data collected at entry probably did not accurately reflect their degree of drug dependency and because the number of men who admitted to a severe relapse was small. However, men who relapsed to drug use were probably the same men who had been heavy drug abusers before treatment. In addition, results relating to recidivism and employment were encouraging. Program completers managed to stay out of prison to a degree that distinguished them from both the dropouts and the comparison group. They also had the best results with respect to the months employed and the number of jobs held. Findings suggested that although the contrasts among the groups were not marked, the program was at least minimally effective in reducing recidivism and drug use and encouraging work-related behaviors. Findings of this study and the process evaluation imply that a much more successful program with better outcomes is both possible and likely as the program gains experience. Figures, tables, and 12 references
Date Published: February 1, 2000