Substance Abuse Treatment for Adults in the Criminal Justice System

Many criminal offenders have substance abuse issues.

Adults with substance abuse issues commit many crimes. When adults enter the criminal justice system through community supervision or incarceration, law enforcement personnel assess offender needs and order substance abuse treatment.

History

The Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) program, created in the early 1970s, motivates offenders to receive treatment while they are supervised in the community. Drug courts, which began in 1989 in Miami, also utilize a structured approach to treatment as opposed to incarceration. As of July 2010, they operate in all 50 states.

Types

Substance abuse treatment falls into three basic categories: education, outpatient and inpatient. Education classes provide information to the client. Outpatient treatment uses group and some individual meetings. Inpatient or residential facilities provide a safe, highly structured living environment while the offender learns new life skills.

Time Frame

Outpatient education programs can be as brief as eight hours while residential programs may last as long as 18 months. The length of a program depends on the individual's substance abuse history, previous attempts at treatment and specific needs.

Function

Substance abuse treatment serves to address the issues that caused the original commission of crimes. Once offenders become substance-free, they can begin a crime-free lifestyle.

Statistics

In 2005, the FBI estimated that almost two million drug-related arrests occurred in the United States. In 2004, an estimated 17 to 18 percent of state and federal inmates admitted to committing the present offense to obtain money to buy drug.

References

• Office of Justice Programs: Substance Abuse and Crime

Resources

• Office of National Drug Control Policy: Drug Treatment in the Criminal Justice System