PREPARED STATEMENT OF NORMAN A CARLSON, DIRECTOR, FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS (FROM DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT, PART 2 HEARINGS BEFORE THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON NARCOTICS ABUSE AND CONTROL, 1978 - SEE NCJ-59477)

• NCJ Number: 59479
• Author(s): N A CARLSON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 3 pages
• Corporate Author: US Congress
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: JULY 25, 1978

Annotation

SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE NARCOTIC ADDICT REHABILITATION ACT (NARA), THE FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM HAS INCREASED TO 23 THE NUMBER OF PROGRAMS OFFERED TO OFFENDERS WITH DRUG ADDICTION PROBLEMS.

Abstract

THE DIRECTOR OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS TESTIFIED TO THE HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE THAT THE DRUG ABUSE PROGRAMS OF THE FEDERAL PRISON SYSTEM SERVE A DEMONSTRATED NEED BECAUSE AN ESTIMATED 29 PERCENT OF ALL OFFENDERS ARE USERS OF HEROIN OR OTHER DRUGS (EXCLUDING MARIJUANA) OR HAVE A HISTORY OF DRUG ABUSE. ADDICTION AND CRIMINALITY HAVE BEEN FOUND TO DEVELOP SIMULTANEOUSLY, WITHOUT A CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIP, BUT THE FEDERAL PROGRAMS DO ATTEMPT TO HELP AN OFFENDER LEAD A LIFE THAT IS BOTH DRUG FREE AND CRIME FREE. TYPICAL DRUG ABUSE UNITS IN FEDERAL PRISONS CONTAIN 110 TO 125 PARTICIPANTS SUPERVISED BY A MANAGER, A PSYCHOLOGIST, TWO CASE WORKERS, AND TWO CORRECTIONS OFFICERS. THE MAJORITY OF INMATES WHO ARE MOTIVATED TO PARTICIPATE ENTER THE TREATMENT DURING THE LAST 18 MONTHS OF THEIR SENTENCES. INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN TREATMENT RECEIVE SPECIAL AFTERCARE SERVICES FOLLOWING RELEASE FROM PRISON. COUNSELING AND URINE TESTS ARE CONTINUED FOR SIX MONTHS AFTER RELEASE. DRUG SURVEILLANCE TESTS ARE ALSO GIVEN TO RANDOM SAMPLES OF THE OFFENDERS WHO REMAIN IN PRISON. TESTING PROGRAMS INDICATE THAT 3.7 PERCENT OF THE PRISON POPULATION ARE DRUG USERS. EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS IS DIFFICULT, BUT THE RATES OF READDICTION AND RECOMMITTMENT ARE LOWER THAN GENERALLY ASSUMED. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK).