ANALYSIS OF THE ALCOHOL PROGRAM IN THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

• NCJ Number: 13160
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 43 pages
• Grant Number(s): EA-2-F4-1560 (TX); EA-3-F4-1560 (TX)
• Sponsoring Agency: Texas Criminal Justice Council
• Corporate Author: Texas Dept of Corrections
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

STUDY TO EXAMINE THE ELEMENTS OF THE CURRENT PROGRAM, DESCRIBE THESE ELEMENTS, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS WHERE THE NEED EXISTS.

Abstract

PROCEDURES EMPLOYED TO ACCOMPLISH THE OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY INCLUDED A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON ALCOHOLISM AND ALCOHOLIC TREATMENT PROGRAMS AND A SURVEY OF TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN OTHER STATES' CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS AS WELL AS IN HALFWAY HOUSES. INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM WAS GATHERED THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH PROGRAM PERSONNEL. THE STUDY DETERMINED THAT THE MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE CURRENT ALCOHOL PROGRAM IS ITS INABILITY TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT TO ALL OFFENDERS REQUIRING ALCOHOLIC TREATMENT. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE (1) A SYSTEMATIC PROCEDURE SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO CONTINUOUSLY IDENTIFY THE ALCOHOLIC AND PROBLEM DRINKER DURING THE DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS, (2) THE ALCOHOLISM STUDY GROUPS SHOULD BE ENLARGED. A COUNSELOR SHOULD SUPERVISE THE TOTAL GROUP WHILE INMATE AIDS LEAD THE DISCUSSION IN SMALLER SUB-GROUPS, (3) TREATMENT GROUPS SHOULD BE INSTITUTED ON A LARGER SCALE, (4) TREATMENT SHOULD ENCOMPASS NOT ONLY THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE INMATE'S DISORDER, BUT THE SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL NEEDS OF THE INMATE, AND (5) A SYSTEM OF FREE-WORLD JOB PLACEMENT SHOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR INMATES WHO SUCCESSFULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE ALCOHOL PROGRAM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)