CONFINED ADDICTS SEEKING HELP - A THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY FOR DRUG ADDICTS AT THE BALTIMORE CITY JAIL - PROGRAM EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 36138
• Author(s): D J LIPSTEIN; D A RIGGIN; B S DEOLIVARES
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 56 pages
• Corporate Author: Baltimore Mayor's Coordinating Council on Criminal Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

EVALUATION OF A PROGRAM IN THE BALTIMORE CITY JAIL OFFERING REHABILITATIVE TREATMENT TO INCARCERATED DRUG ABUSERS IN PRETRIAL STATUS AFTER TWO YEARS OF FEDERALLY FUNDED OPERATION INDEPENDENT OF ITS PARENT PROGRAM.

Abstract

THE PROGRAM WAS ORGANIZED TO CONDUCT AND MAINTAIN A DRUG-FREE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY WITHIN THE JAIL TO MODIFY OVERT BEHAVIOR, IMPROVE SOCIAL SKILLS AND SELF-CONCEPT, PRESENT ACCURATE EVALUATIONS OF RESIDENTS TO THE COURTS, REDUCE RECIDIVISM, AND PREPARE ADDICTS FOR RELEASE AND FUTURE TREATMENT. TREATMENT METHODS INCLUDE ENCOUNTER GROUP SESSIONS, INTENSIVE GROUP INTERVIEWS EXAMINING AN INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT'S SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS, STAFF MEETINGS, AND SEMINARS. ANALYSIS OF STATISTICS REVEALED THAT THE CONFINED ADDICTS SEEKING HELP (CASH) PROGRAM HAS SUCCEEDED IN MAINTAINING A DRUG-FREE THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITY WITHIN THE JAIL, HAS INFLUENCED THE COURTS IN RECOMMENDING RESIDENTS FOR FUTURE TREATMENT, AND THAT THE RECIDIVISM RATE OF CASH PARTICIPANTS SENTENCED TO A PERIOD OF PROBATION IS APPROXIMATELY 24 PERCENT. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE MODIFYING TREATMENT METHODS TO SIMPLIFY ASSESSMENT OF BEHAVIOR CHANGES AND REDEFINING OBJECTIVES AND SELECTION CRITERIA. APPENDED CHARTS ILLUSTRATE ADMINISTRATIVE AND RESIDENT STAFFING PATTERNS, LENGTH OF RESIDENCE, AND STATISTICS FOR RESIDENTS BEING TREATED AND TERMINATED FROM TREATMENT AS WELL AS OFFENSE INFORMATION OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.