Drug abuse treatment in criminal justice settings: enhancing community engagement and helpfulness

This study examined the impact of a treatment readiness program on probationers receiving drug abuse treatment in a modified therapeutic community (TC). The program we developed was designed to increase motivation and improve skills needed for treatment progress. Probationers (N = 500) were assigned randomly to receive either the treatment readiness training or the standard approach used at the facility. Probationers responded to newly developed and established measures of community characteristics. Probationers receiving the readiness training rated their communities as more engaged and helpful than did those receiving the standard program. As predicted, probationers who had higher levels of treatment experience prior to entry into the current program (and who may have thus perceived treatment as having more limitations) gave more reserved estimates of community engagement. The current study suggests that the readiness training is having its intended impact on probationers. In addition, the study supports the usefulness of a newly developed measure in evaluating treatment effectiveness.