NCJ Number
131350
Date Published
1991
Length
166 pages
Annotation
A task force composed of State and local correctional practitioners, researchers, drug abuse treatment specialists, and representatives of six Federal agencies examined issues related to programs for drug-abusing offenders and recommended approaches to planning, implementing, and managing correctional drug programs.
Abstract
The task force was convened by the National Institute of Corrections in September 1989 to assess current drug abuse strategies at all levels of the correctional systems and to recommend a framework for improving these efforts. The task force concluded that a blend of control and treatment in corrections is both effective and necessary and that for drug abusing offenders, incentives and sanctions can be very effective. Effective offender treatment programs do exist that counter recent beliefs that "nothing works." Recommended measures include careful assessment and proper placement of offenders in the most potentially helpful programs, systematic approaches and linkages to provide a continuum of information and services, and the use of a variety of accountability and evaluation procedures and criteria. Profiles of existing programs, glossary, and 107 references