NCJ Number
73353
Date Published
1980
Length
17 pages
Annotation
The multifaceted treatment approach of the New Jersey Wharton Tract Narcotics Treatment Program is described, with emphasis on the project's research and evaluation components, which yielded significant data on 1,600 subjects over a 7-year period.
Abstract
The program began in 1970 in response to the growing incidence of drug addiction among youth committed to correctional facilities. Employing a therapeutic community approach to treatment, the program encouraged inmate participation in their own therapy. Guided Group Interaction (GGI), a group therapy technique tailored for use in correctional rehabilitation, was an integral part of the therapeutic regime. The program used a 'consecutive step' approach, whereby residents advanced progressively from one step to the next, based on periodic self-evaluations and peer review. By earning work release status, clients gradually accomplished a transition from the institution into the community. Other program services included therapy for married couples, individual and family counseling, 'town meetings,' and recreational activities. Program evaluation was designed to determine the incidence of drug abuse upon admission to the correctional institution, to monitor the extent of personality changes effected by the program, and to measure factors related to parole success of heroin-addicted offenders. Personality changes in program participants were assessed by pretest and posttest instruments, including a self-evaluation questionnaire and the Sensation Seeking Scale. Significant psychological change was manifested by greater resistance to conformity pressures, increased belief in personal fate control, and a decreased preference for high levels of stimulation and excitement. Program graduates had a significantly lower recommitment rate, better personality adjustment, and more arrest-free records than comparison groups. Sixty-two references are provided.