NCJ Number
52335
Journal
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF STUDIES ON ALCOHOL Volume: 29 Issue: 1-A Dated: (1968) Pages: 77-83
Date Published
1968
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A PILOT PROJECT INVOLVING ENFORCED CLINIC TREATMENT OF PAROLED CRIMINAL ALCOHOLICS WAS INITIATED USING AS SUBJECTS 19 MALE ALCOHOLICS PAROLED FROM THE LOUISIANA STATE PENITENTIARY AT ANGOLA.
Abstract
WHEN RELEASED, THE MEN WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED BY THEIR PAROLE OFFICER TO EITHER OF TWO GROUPS (COMPULSORY TREATMENT GROUP OR VOLUNTARY TREATMENT GROUP). SUBJECTS IN THE COMPULSORY TREATMENT GROUP WERE REQUIRED, IN ADDITION TO THE USUAL CONDITIONS OF PAROLE, TO VISIT AN ALCOHOLISM CLINIC FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF 6 MONTHS. INDIVIDUAL PSYCHOTHERAPY SESSIONS WERE SCHEDULED WEEKLY FOR 3 MONTHS AND THEN BIWEEKLY FOR THE NEXT 3 MONTHS. IT WAS MADE CLEAR TO EACH PERSON IN THIS GROUP THAT FAILURE TO ATTEND EVEN ONE CLINIC APPOINTMENT WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF PAROLE AND THAT HE WOULD BE RETURNED TO PRISON. FOLLOWING THE COMPULSORY 6-MONTH TREATMENT PERIOD, THE MEN WERE PERMITTED, IF THEY SO DESIRED, TO CONTINUE CLINIC TREATMENT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 6 MONTHS. ABSTINENCE FROM ALCOHOL WAS NOT INCLUDED AS A CONDITION OF PAROLE. SUBJECTS IN THE VOLUNTARY TREATMENT GROUP WERE REQUIRED TO KEEP THEIR FIRST APPOINTMENT AT THE CLINIC, BUT FURTHER TREATMENT WAS NOT A COMPULSORY CONDITION OF PAROLE. FINAL EVALUATION OF INDIVIDUAL PROGRESS WAS MADE 1 YEAR FOLLOWING THE FIRST CLINIC VISIT. THE RESULTS OF THE PROJECT SUPPORT THE EFFICACY OF COMPULSORY TREATMENT FOR CRIMINAL ALCOHOLICS. FOUR OF NINE COMPULSORY PATIENTS VOLUNTARILY ELECTED TO CONTINUE IN THERAPY FOR AN ADDITIONAL 6 MONTHS AND COMPLETED A FULL YEAR OF TREATMENT. FIVE OF THE TEN COMPULSORY PATIENTS, AS COMPARED WITH NO VOLUNTARY PATIENTS, HAD COMPLETELY ABSTAINED FROM ALCOHOL. RECIDIVISM WAS HIGHER FOR VOLUNTARY THAN FOR COMPULSORY GROUP SUBJECTS. ILLUSTRATIVE CASE HISTORIES AND A DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS ARE PROVIDED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)