Florida Statewide Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC) Network - Phase Two Final Report - Program Impact Evaluation

• NCJ Number: 93049
• Author(s): R H Potter; J M Starnes
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 67 pages
• Grant Number(s): DF-79-AX-1000
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This evaluation of Florida's Phase II Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC) focuses on the impact of TASC on the criminal justice system and treatment agencies, client success rates, client recidivism rates, and the cost-effectiveness of TASC.

Abstract

The intent of TASC programs has been to break the cycle of criminal activity which develops to support drug/alcohol abuse by diverting substance-abusing offenders out of the criminal justice system into voluntary treatment programs. TASC began in Florida in December 1972, and the statewide TASC network is now comprised of 17 projects that provide services in 41 counties. Regarding the impact assessment, TASC received favorable evaluations from all levels of the criminal justice and treatment systems. The major impacts of TASC on the criminal justice system appear to be increased information about clients and the provision of sentencing options for the courts. TASC referrals composed 50-75 percent of the treatment populations in many of the treatment programs examined. Regarding recidivism, the study found that TASC participants are less likely than eligible nonparticipants to have been rearrested more than one time. TASC clients graduated as 'successes' had the lowest rearrest rate of any of the comparison groups. Prior legal record was found to be the best predictor of rearrest, regardless of TASC participation or type of termination. TASC clients whose major offense at TASC referral was drug-related show the lowest rearrest rate of any client type, while TASC clients treated as out-patients were found to be rearrested less often than those treated in residential programs. Regarding cost-effectiveness, TASC was found to be a less expensive processing option only when it is used as a pretrial diversion program. TASC does not provide a cost-effective alternative to criminal justice processing in the long run due to the tendency for clients to reenter the criminal justice system at lower rates than comparable nonparticipants. Recommendations are offered in the areas of screening and admission goals, its use in pretrial diversion, referrals of minority offenders, the use of outpatient treatment programs, and the reporting system. The appendixes contain a brief explanation of multiple regression and sources for cost-benefit analysis. Two references and tabular data are provided.