InJail Therapeutic Community Drug Treatment: Impact on Rearrest Rates

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In-Jail Therapeutic Community Drug Treatment
Impact on Rearrest Rates
4th Annual Drug Abuse Symposium Charles Drew
University of Medicine and Science
James K. Cunningham, Ph.D. Research and Education
on Addiction and Community Health
(REACH) Department of Family and Community
Medicine The University of Arizona
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Research Question

• Is participation in a 90-day in-custody
  therapeutic community drug treatment program
  associated with a reduction in arrests?

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Setting Program

• Theo Lacy Jail in Orange County, CA
• Jail for males only
• Program TypeTherapeutic Community
• Program PeriodCalendar Year 2006

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Research Design

• Rearrest rates of program participants
• (n 186) were compared to rearrest rates of
  inmates who applied to the program
• (n 256) but were not accepted.
• Both groups were followed for 12 months post
  release.

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Treatment and Comparison Groups During 12 Months
Post Release Percentage Rearrested
61.5
48.6
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Conclusion

• In contrast to the comparison group, treatment
  participants had lower rearrest rates throughout
  the year following release.
• This is consistent with the proposition that the
  program is helping to reduce rearrests among its
  participants.