NCJ Number
159787
Date Published
1991
Length
20 pages
Annotation
The efforts of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services to improve drug treatment in the criminal justice system are discussed.
Abstract
According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the criminal justice system is the referral source for 30 percent of the drug treatment population. The United States should target its efforts on the criminally involved addict for three reasons: the need is great, drug treatment is effective, and the addiction treatment and criminal justice systems are increasingly willing to collaborate. Bureau of Justice Assistance statistics indicate that 80 percent of inmates have a history of drug abuse. In addition, Federal Bureau of Prisons data reveal that 79 percent of the increase among those sentenced to prison over a recent 2-year period was due to drug law offenses. The increasing rate of cocaine and crack use and its effects on drug-related crime are also well documented. Efforts to establish drug treatment as an integral component of corrections within the criminal justice system have been limited but promising. In addition to provision of inmate drug treatment, the provision of drug treatment as an alternative or adjunct to incarceration can help alleviate part of the criminal justice burden. The Office for Treatment Improvement provides leadership for the national effort to improve drug treatment; it works with other agencies to identify effective treatment techniques and provides financial and technical assistance to States.