User Accountability and Long-term Recidivism: A Final Report Submitted to the National Institute of Justice

• NCJ Number: 163406
• Author(s): J R Hepburn
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 63 pages
• Grant Number(s): 94-IJ-CX-0028
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Survey

Annotation

The long-term impact of prosecution and diversion to treatment on recidivism among drug offenders was examined using data from 7,012 Arizona offenders who were charged under the Maricopa County Demand Reduction Program from its March 1989 start through February 1991.

Abstract

The analysis focused on the relationship between offender characteristics, offense characteristics, treatment exposure, and length of time to rearrest using the followup data available in August 1995 on 98.8 percent of the offenders. The followup period ranged from 53 to 77 months, depending on when the offender entered the program. The offenders were grouped into four categories: (1) the 1,277 who were eligible for diversion and completed treatment, (2) the 493 who were eligible for diversion and failed treatment, (3) the 1,558 who were eligible for diversion but did not enter treatment, and (4) the 1,151 who were ineligible for diversion and were prosecuted. Results revealed significant differences in the recidivism among the four groups. The rate and level of failure was greater for those who failed to enter the program despite eligibility than for those who entered the program and failed to complete it. In addition, the offenders who completed treatment performed substantially better than those who entered and failed to complete treatment. Findings provide an important addition to knowledge of treatment effectiveness. Figures, tables, appended tables, and 30 references