The therapeutic community: success and improvement rates 5 years after treatment

Dropouts (N = 162) and graduates (N = 75) from the 1970-1971 residential population in Phoenix House were interviewed 5 years after treatment. Composite indices of criminality, drug use, and employment described client status on a four-point outcome scale. Success reflected absence of crime and drug use through all years of follow-up; improvement represented a positive change over pretreatment status. Graduate success and improvement rates were 75% and 93%, respectively. Among dropouts, the rates were 31% and 56%, respectively, but increased by time in program from less than 1 month to greater than 20 months (Success = 0-57%; Improvement = 5-89%). Results at 2-year follow-up were replicated in a 1974 cohort, providing convincing evidence for the effectiveness of treatment in the therapeutic community.