Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Formula Grant: Compendium of Program Implementation and Accomplishments, Final Report

• NCJ Number: 187099
• Author(s): Lana D. Harrison Ph.D.; Steven S. Martin M.S.
• Date Published: October 2000
• Length: 174 pages
• Grant Number(s): See Note
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)

Annotation

This report explains the nature and evaluation results of the inmate drug treatment programs established by through the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Formula Grant Program under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.

Abstract

RSAT provided funds to develop and implement these programs. The funds were available for individual and group treatment programs in State and local facilities. The national evaluation used 3 questionnaires to collect data from all States and 77 programs that were operating by August 1998. Results revealed that the RSAT programs used three main treatment techniques: therapeutic communities, cognitive behavioral approaches, and 12-step programs. State officials unanimously reported that RSAT increased their State’s treatment capacity for inmate drug abusers. Site evaluations of 12 programs revealed that almost all the programs experienced moderate to severe startup problems. The exceptions were the preexisting programs that expanded with RSAT funds. Problems included insufficient staff numbers, inexperienced staff, and inappropriate referrals. Results also indicated that the support of higher-level administrators was essential to cope with many of the implementation obstacles. Findings have significant national implications for treating drug-involved offenders. Findings indicated the feasibility of local evaluations, the need for funding for aftercare programs, and the need for greater Federal cooperation in the area of providing treatment and evaluating its effectiveness. Reference lists and reports on individual programs