INTER-INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION - UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS AND A CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVERSION PROGRAM (FROM DRUG ABUSE - MODERN TRENDS, ISSUES, AND PERSPECTIVES, 1978, BY ARNOLD SCHECTER ET AL - SEE NCJ-48582)

• NCJ Number: 48593
• Author(s): D C MCBRIDGE; R S WEPPNER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Marcel Dekker, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE 2ND NATIONAL DRUG ABUSE CONFERENCE, NEW ORLEANS (LA), 1975

Annotation

THE COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AT A UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL AND THE MIAMI, FLA., TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES TO STREET CRIME (TASC) PROGRAM ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

TASC IS AN LEAA-DEVELOPED PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REMOVE DRUG USERS FROM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND PLACE THEM IN DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS. THE TASC PROGRAM IN MIAMI, ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY, HAS DIVERTED OVER 1,200 DRUG USERS SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1973. WHILE SOCIAL PROGRAMS SUCH AS TASC OFTEN COLLECT VOLUMES OF DATA ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THE POPULATION THEY SERVE, FREQUENTLY THEY DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR ANALYZING THE DATA YET ARE LEARY OF GRANTING ACCESS TO THE DATA TO OUTSIDE RESEARCHERS. RESEARCHERS IN THE DIVISION OF ADDICTION SCIENCES, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, HAVE ESTABLISHED A RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH TASC PROVIDES DIVISION RESEARCHERS WITH DATA FOR THEIR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INTERESTS AND THE RESEARCHERS PROVIDE TASC WITH INFORMATION RELEVANT TO PROGRAM AND MANAGERIAL NEEDS. THE FUNCTION THAT THE RESEARCHERS PERFORM AND MANAGERIAL NEEDS. THE FUNCTIONS THAT THE RESEARCHERS PERFORM IN THIS RELATIONSHIP -- DEVELOPMENT OF FORMS, PROVISIONS OF DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS, PROGRAM EVALUATION ASSISTANCE, ANALYSIS OF REARREST RATES AND LENGTHS OF STAY IN TREATMENT, PROVISION OF PROFILES OF SUCCESSFUL AND UNSUCCESSFUL CLIENTS -- ARE DESCRIBED. A TABLE COMPARES THE SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND DRUG USE PATTERNS OF TASC ADMISSIONS AND OTHER DRUG USERS PROCESSED THROUGH THE MIAMI JAIL. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)