COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON THE DRUG OFFENDER REHABILITATION PROGRAM AT THE SHELBY COUNTY PENAL FARM, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE - EXEMPLARY PROJECT CANDIDATE

• NCJ Number: 13898
• Author(s): R W WOOD; R S SWEET
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 62 pages
• Grant Number(s): 25A-73-1.11.H8 (LEAA)
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Shelby Cty Penal Farm
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: EXEMPLARY PROJECT

Annotation

OUTLINES PROGRAM'S THEORETICAL BASES, OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES PRESENTLY USED, AND A STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN OF THE PROGRAM'S RESULTS.

Abstract

THE DRUG OFFENDER REHABILITATION PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN OPERATION FOR 24 MONTHS AT A COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED TO THE INSTITUTION FOR DIRECT AND INDIRECT DRUG RELATED OFFENSES VOLUNTEER FOR THE PROGRAM AFTER BEING SCREENED ON A PSYCHOMETRIC BATTERY AND INTERVIEWED BY PROGRAM STAFF AND PARTICIPANTS. THE PROGRAM'S FACILITIES ARE ISOLATED FROM THE MAIN POPULATION AND FORM A SELF-CONTAINED THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY. THE TREATMENT MODEL IS RECONATION THERAPY WHICH INCORPORATES GENERAL CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT METHODS, PEER COUNSELING, AND A VARIETY OF SPECIALIZED GROUP COUNSELING SESSIONS. TECHNIQUES SUCH AS PEER LEVEL PROMOTION WITH ATTENDANT PRIVILEGES ARE CONTINGENT CONSEQUENCES TO THE INDIVIDUAL'S ONGOING BEHAVIOR. PARTICIPANTS' SENTENCES VARY FROM NINE MONTHS TO FIVE YEARS WITH AN AVERAGE TIME IN THE PROGRAM OF NINE TO FIFTEEN MONTHS AND THE BALANCE OF SENTENCE CONVERTED TO PAROLE OR PROBATION. NINETY-ONE INDIVIDUALS HAVE ENTERED THE PROGRAM AND 43 HAVE PRESENTLY GRADUATED. OF THOSE WHO HAVE GRADUATED, 14 HAVE VIOLATED THE AFTER-CARE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS OF TWO DRUG-FREE URINE SCREENS AND TWO GROUP SESSIONS PER WEEK, WHILE 29 GRADUATES ARE PRESENTLY DRUG-FREE, ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN AFTER-CARE, AND IN SCHOOL OR ON THE JOB. THE OVERALL RECOVERY RATE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS IS 67 PERCENT. A CHAPTER OF THE DOCUMENT IS DEVOTED TO AN EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM BY THE PARTICIPANTS WITH A DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE PROJECT OPERATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF INMATE INPUT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM. A STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN OF THE PROGRAM'S REHABILITATIVE EFFECTIVENESS IS PRESENTED WITH A DISCUSSION OF RECOVERY FIGURES (COMPLETION OF THE AFTER-CARE PROGRAM), AND THE USE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO ACQUAINT THE PUBLIC WITH THE REALITY OF WHAT IS INVOLVED IN DRUG REHABILITATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) WINSTON-SALEM (NC)