NCJ Number
134987
Date Published
1992
Length
41 pages
Annotation
This program examines current policy and programs for drug abusing female offenders and their children in New York State.
Abstract
The most remarkable finding from interviews with addicted women in community programs was that no matter how limited the services offered by a program, responses from the women were overwhelmingly positive. Most of the women in prison had not been offered any drug treatment programs that were alternatives to incarceration, even though their arrest histories clearly revealed that they were drug abusers. The issue of children in a residential program was ambiguous. Separation from newborns apparently caused mothers more anxiety than separation from older children. The proposed model program would be a residential alternative to incarceration for women only. It would include group and individual counseling on an as-needed basis. A program specifically for mothers with newborns would include family counseling sessions in which the entire family can talk about the addiction problem. The program would include AIDS education, vocational training, and a comprehensive followup program that would last 1 year after release; this may include shared living space with other recovering addicts and their children. A strong support component would be provided for women in their home communities, particularly in drug-infested areas. The program should be operated by dedicated administrative personnel and staff.