Recidivism Following Mandated Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for Felony Probationers

Abstract

Substance abuse is common among probationers, and treatment programs have become an integral part of community corrections. The current study presents findings from a modified therapeutic community (TC) serving drugabusing probationers in a large metropolitan area. Findings show that treatment dropouts were more likely to be rearrested for a serious felony within 2 years of leaving the TC program than were treatment graduates and probationers from an untreated comparison group. Also, a significantly smaller proportion of graduates were rearrested during the 2nd year after release compared to those who drop out of treatment or who do not receive treatment. Logistic regression analysis that adjusted for pre-existing group differences suggests there was a small impact of the TC program on recidivism, with treatment graduates only slightly less likely to be arrested within 2 years of leaving the program.

The effectiveness of compulsory drug treatment: A systematic review

“…39,40 Two studies observed negative impacts of compulsory treatment on criminal recidivism. 41,42 Two studies found positive outcomes: one study observed a small significant impact of compulsory inpatient treatment on criminal recidivism, 43 and a retrospective study found improved drug use outcomes within the first week of release after treatment. 40 …”

“…36–39,41,43 Huang and colleagues examined the impact of mandatory inpatient drug treatment on post-treatment drug use patterns over the period of a year among participants in Chongquing, China ( n = 177). 41 As the authors note, Chinese police are given authority over mandatory drug treatment facilities, and have the power to detain individuals within these facilities for a period of weeks to several months.…”

Rearrest and Probation Violation Outcomes Among Probationers Participating in a Jail-Based Substance-Abuse Treatment Used as an Intermediate Sanction

“…The first study evaluated a jail-based substance-abuse treatment program that included 54% of clients being released on probation and identified that 63% of all participants were rearrested in the first year (Peters et al, 1993). Two other studies evaluated community-based substance abuse treatment for probationers and reported 1-year rearrest rates of 17% (Hiller, Knight, & Simpson, 2006) and 37% and 41% across the two study sites (Taxman & Thanner, 2006). The current study's 1-year rearrest rates of 34.4% for probation violators and 24.8% among probationers jailed at conviction fall between these rates.…”

Emerging drugs for the treatment of cocaine use disorder: a review of neurobiological targets and pharmacotherapy

“…For example, in a 2001 study of substance abuse treatment providers in California, researchers estimated the cost of treatment to be, on average, $US1583 with a monetary benefit to society of $US11,487, attributed primarily to reductions in crime and increased wages from employment [5]. Similar findings have been reported in other studies of substance abuse treatment programs, particularly in relation to reduced rates of recidivism and arrests [6,7] although not all studies report improvements in employment rates or significant reductions in criminality [8,9]. Other factors, such as education level, socioeconomic class, race/ethnicity and gender, likely exercise some influence on these outcomes, however.…”