Outcome Evaluation of a Family-Based Jail Reentry Program for Substance Abusing Offenders

• NCJ Number: 249603
• Journal: Prison Journal Volume: 96 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2016 Pages: 53-78
• Author(s): J. M. Miller; H. V. Miller; J. C. Barnes; A. J. Lurigio
• Date Published: January 2016
• Length: 26 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2011-RN-BX-0004
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Publication Format: Article; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Evaluation; Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Since offender reentry programs have proliferated due to the passage of the Second Chance Act in 2008, this study examined the effectiveness of one such jail-based reentry program for male inmates, the Delaware County (OH) Jail Substance Abuse Treatment program, which served participants diagnosed with substance dependency and who had minor children.

Abstract

This program served 34 offenders and their families over 2 years and was based on the Community Reinforcement and Family Training model, a treatment modality for substance abuse involving both operant conditioning and family-based therapy for behavioral modification. Results from a quasi-experimental evaluation indicate that program participants were significantly less likely to be rearrested within 1 year after release than a comparison group of similarly situated offenders, and they were more likely to comply with child support orders following release. Findings also revealed the treatment group had significantly more days to failure for those who recidivated. (Publisher abstract modified)