TASC (TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES TO STREET CRIME) EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 49669
• Author(s): J HARKEY; J TEEVAN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 74 pages
• Corporate Author: George Peabody College for Teachers
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES TO STREET CRIME (TASC) PROJECT IS EVALUATED WITH REGARD TO SCREENING AND REFERRAL, MONITORING, CLIENT OUTCOMES AFTER TREATMENT, COSTS-BENEFITS, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE RELATIONSHIPS.

Abstract

TASC ACTS AS A CONDUIT FOR THE TRANSFER OF INFORMATION AND PEOPLE AMONG CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND TREATMENT SYSTEMS. PEOPLE, REFERRED TO AS CLIENTS, ARE ALLEGED DRUG OFFENDERS BEING PROCESSED THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHO HAVE AN ADMITTED DRUG PROBLEM FOR WHICH A TREATMENT ALTERNATIVE IS SOUGHT. THE INFORMATION FUNCTION OF TASC INVOLVES THE TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION ON CLIENTS AND INFORMATION OF A MORE GENERAL NATURE ABOUT THE GOALS OF TASC AND OPERATIONS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND TREATMENT SYSTEMS. DURING ITS HISTORY, TASC HAS PROCESSED THREE TYPES OF CLIENTS: MINOR DRUG OFFENDERS, REGULAR TASC DRUG CLIENTS, AND OFFENDERS SCREENED AND REFERRED BY THE COURT TO TREATMENT OR COMMUNITY SERVICE. IN PROCESSING CLIENTS, TASC GENERALLY PERFORMS THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: SCREENING, REFERRAL, MONITORING, AND FUNNELING AND FILTERING THE INFORMATION FLOW BETWEEN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE TREATMENT SYSTEM. IN A 1977 EVALUATIVE FINDINGS FOR TASC, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROJECT BE CONTINUED. TREATMENT APPEARS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND LESS COSTLY FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF OFFENDERS THAN THE JAIL ALTERNATIVE, AND A CENTRAL SCREENING AND REFERRAL AGENCY RESULTS IN COMPLETE AND RATIONAL COVERAGE FOR INDIVIDUALS PROCESSED THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE TASC ARE OFFERED, AND IT IS POINTED OUT THAT THE POLITICAL CLIMATE WITHIN WHICH TASC OPERATES IS UNFAVORABLE FOR LOCAL FUNDING. BASED ON RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS IN A SURVEY ABOUT DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE AND EMPLOYMENT OR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, IT APPEARS THAT THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN DRUG USE BY THE TIME OF THE INTERVIEW OVER PRE-TASC LEVELS. THE LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT OR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, HOWEVER, REMAINED ESSENTIALLY THE SAME. ALTHOUGH TASC MAY BE MORE BENEFICIAL IN TERMS OF COSTS THAN THE JAIL ALTERNATIVE, COST DIFFERENCES ARE NOT LARGE. ADDITIONAL DATA AND PROCEDURES ON THE DRUG USE SURVEY AND TASC ARE APPENDED. (DEP)