NCJ Number
136738
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 38 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1992) Pages: 158-170
Date Published
1992
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The Oregon Intensive Drug Program (IDP) provides a sentencing alternative for offenders with drug abuse problems by combining mandatory treatment for substance abuse with electronically monitored house arrest in order to reduce criminal behavior and drug use.
Abstract
This research evaluated the program by measuring clients' recidivism, use of drugs, and successful completion of the program. Comparison groups from two different programs -- the ESP which involves home confinement and electronic surveillance and the Work Release program -- were used in the analysis of recidivism rates. Neither of the two comparison programs had a drug treatment component. Tentative findings indicated that, when controlling for offender characteristics, participants in the IDP had lower rearrest probabilities than clients in the other programs, suggesting that recidivism may diminish if offenders receive treatment specific to the substance abuse problem and if they complete the program. While drop-out rates from IDP are high, the study found higher program completion rates for offenders who were charged with more serious felonies, who had higher risk scores, and who had committed drug-related offenses. 3 tables, 1 figure, 13 notes, and 22 references (Author abstract modified)