WHICH INMATES PARTICIPATE IN PRISON TREATMENT PROGRAMS?

• NCJ Number: 65166
• Journal: Journal of Offender Counseling Services and Rehabilitation Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: (WINTER 1979) Pages: 121-135
• Author(s): J PETERSILIA
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77-NI-99-0072
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored

Annotation

RECENT FINDINGS HAVE SHOWN THAT A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF PRISON TREATMENT PROGRAMS CAN BE DIFFERENTIALLY EFFECTIVE AND THAT FUTURE PRISON TREATMENT POLICY WILL CENTER ON RESOURCE ALLOCATION TO CERTAIN INMATES.

Abstract

THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED THE FOLLOWING ISSUES: (1) PERCENTAGE OF STATE PRISON INMATES NATIONWIDE NEEDING SPECIFIED TREATMENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS DRUG AND ALCOHOL REHABILITATION OR VOCATIONAL TRAINING; (2) PROPORTION OF THOSE INMATES WITH IDENTIFIED TREATMENT NEEDS THAT ARE TAKING PART IN APPROPRIATE PRISON TREATMENT PROGRAMS; AND (3) INMATE CHARACTERISTICS, SUCH AS AGE, RACE, PRIOR RECORD, AND LENGTH OF CURRENT SENTENCE THAT ARE PREDICTIVE OF PARTICIPATION IN TREATMENT PROGRAMS. DATA WERE GATHERED FROM A 1974 SURVEY OF STATE PRISON INMATES CONDUCTED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF THE CENSUS UNDER LEAA AND INVOLVING PERSONAL INTERVIEWS OF 10,400 INMATES FROM 190 STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. FACILITIES WERE SCIENTIFICALLY SAMPLED FROM A COMPLETE NATIONAL UNIVERSE OF 710 FACILITIES. THE SAMPLE COMPRISED ABOUT 1 INMATE FOR EVERY 18 INCARCERATED IN STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES NATIONWIDE; SAMPLE DATA WERE WEIGHTED TO REPRESENT THE ESTIMATED 191,400 INMATES IN STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES. RESULTS SHOWED THAT 40 PERCENT OF INMATES NATIONWIDE PARTICIPATED IN SOME TREATMENT PROGRAM WHILE INCARCERATED. WHEN CLASSIFIED AS TO THEIR NEED FOR ALCOHOL OR DRUG REHABILITATION, JOB TRAINING, AND EDUCATION, AND WHEN THIS NEED WAS COMPARED TO THE ACTUAL TREATMENT RECEIVED, A TOTAL OF 22 PERCENT OF THE INMATES WERE FOUND TO REQUIRE ALCOHOL REHABILITATION, 23 PERCENT TO NEED DRUG REHABILITATION, 31 PERCENT TO REQUIRE JOB TRAINING, AND 68 PERCENT TO NEED FURTHER EDUCATION. ONE IN FOUR OR FIVE INMATES WITH IDENTIFIED NEEDS PARTICIPATED IN PRISON TREATMENT PROGRAMS RELATED TO THESE NEEDS. OLDER INMATES WERE MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE ALCOHOL TREATMENT, WHEREAS YOUNGER INMATES MORE OFTEN RECEIVED EDUCATION AND JOB TRAINING. WHITES WERE MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE ALCOHOL REHABILITATION AND BLACKS TO RECEIVE DRUG TREATMENT. LONG-TERMERS OR INMATES SERVING MORE THAN 5 YEARS WERE PREPONDERANTLY FOUND IN JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS. TREATMENT PROGRAMS APPEAR TO BE USED RANDOMLY WITH PERSONS OF ALL RACIAL, AGE, AND PRIOR CRIMINAL HISTORIES. FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--AOP)