National Institute of Justice
R e s e a r c h P r e v i e w
Jeremy Travis, Director
June 1997
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
National Institute of Justice
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Evaluation of Drug Treatment
in Local Corrections
Summary of a Research Study by Sandra Tunis, James Austin, Mark Morris,
Patricia Hardyman, and Melissa Bolyard
Arrests for illegal drug use have been a major factor in in-
creasing jail populations, which has created interest in the
effectiveness of drug treatment programs in local jails. A
recent evaluation, sponsored by the National Institute of
Justice, indicates that the greatest immediate benefit of jail
drug treatment programs has been to provide a “behavioral
management tool” that controls inmates’ behavior, contrib-
uting particularly to lower levels of violence.
The programs have had modest positive effects in reducing
recidivism within 1 year of jail release. Considering their
limitations, however, they have potential for greater suc-
cess. Limitations included weak or nonexistent aftercare,
mismatches between lengths of programs and time in in-
carceration, budget constraints (such as funds for after-
care), and training issues.
Study methodology
The research design comprised two major components.
The first involved detailed descriptions and analyses of five
drug treatment programs: Jail Education and Treatment
(JET); Deciding, Educating, Understanding, Counseling,
and Evaluation (DEUCE); and Rebuilding, Educating,
Awareness, Counseling, and Hope (REACH), all in Califor-
nia; and Substance Abuse Intervention Division (SAID) and
New Beginnings, both in New York.
The second study component assessed program completion
rates for participants as well as 12-month postrelease out-
comes (the probability of being rearrested and convicted
within 12 months after release) for participants and matched
comparison groups. For most sites, comparison groups in-