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Evaluating component effects of a prison-based treatment continuum.
Clifford A Butzin1, Steven S Martin, James A Inciardi
1Center for Drug and Alcohol Studies, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA. butzin@udel.edu
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
|April 5, 2002
Summary
This study on therapeutic community (TC) treatment for drug offenders found that while all program components showed benefits, the residential transitional phase had the most significant and lasting impact on reducing recidivism and drug relapse.
Area of Science:
- Criminal Justice
- Addiction Treatment
- Public Health
Background:
- Correctional systems increasingly implement therapeutic community (TC) programs for drug-involved offenders.
- Previous research indicated the efficacy of comprehensive TC treatment, but the specific benefits of in-prison components remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the relative impact of within-prison, transitional, and aftercare treatment components of a correctional TC program.
- To determine the differential effects of each TC component on criminal recidivism and illicit drug use relapse.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from a continuum of correctional-based TC programs in Delaware.
- Statistical comparison of outcomes (recidivism, drug relapse) across different treatment components, controlling for demographics and prior substance use/criminal history.
Main Results:
- All TC treatment components demonstrated a relative benefit in reducing recidivism and drug relapse.
- The residential transitional program component showed larger and more sustained positive effects compared to other components.
- The degree of program completion influenced outcomes, with differential sensitivity observed for recidivism and relapse.
Conclusions:
- Correctional therapeutic community programs are effective in addressing drug-involved offenders.
- The transitional residential phase is a critical component for long-term success in reducing criminal behavior and substance abuse.
- Program completion is a significant factor in the overall effectiveness of TC treatment for this population.