NCJ Number
209127
Journal
Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 40 Issue: 1/2 Dated: 2004 Pages: 61-83
Date Published
2004
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This study evaluated the effectiveness of a throughcare program in England and Wales at bridging the gap between prison and community for drug-abusing offenders.
Abstract
For the past 3 years across England and Wales, prisons have been operating CARAT (Counseling, Assessment, Referral, Advice, and Throughcare) schemes for their drug-using prisoners. These CARAT schemes are designed to provide additional support both during and after custody with an emphasis on easing the transition back into the community. These CARAT schemes offer promising services that have yet to evaluated; the current study evaluated the effectiveness of throughcare arrangements for drug users leaving prison and returning to a specific locality, with attention paid to the likelihood of problems arising from the creation of a new service. Participants were 9 prisoners due for prison release from 5 prisons in different localities and 10 CARAT workers who were interviewed regarding their roles and experiences with CARAT. CARAT offenders were also interviewed before release and between 6 and 9 days following release concerning their intentions upon release, their experiences of release, and their experiences of CARAT. Results indicated that of the six offenders who reported for follow-up study, not one reported returning to dependent drug use and all reported remaining crime-free since their release. All experienced their release and abstinence from drugs as a difficult experience. Four of the nine participants had already been rearrested and incarcerated during the current sentence and all had relapsed to heroin use while not in prison. The difficulties experienced by released prisoners suggest that the CARAT scheme is not effective in bridging the gap between incarceration and community life. References, notes