Opposition Constructive - Incarceration is not the answer to drug addiction.

Opposition Constructive - Incarceration is not the answer to drug addiction.

A perception has endured over time that “nothing works” in prison rehabilitation. Yet, research by psychologists and others shows that treating prisoners’ substance abuse problems during and after incarceration can lead to major reductions in recidivism.

The United States has less than 5% of the world’s population and we consume two-thirds of the world’s illegal drugs and incarcerate almost a quarter of the world’s prisoners, more than 8 of 10 of whom have some substance involvement.  Incarceration alone is not the answer to drug addiction.  We need to address the treatment needs of offenders while holding them accountable for their crimes.   Research published in the 1990’s by psychologist Dr. Harry K. Wexler, a leader in prison reform, found that prison-based substance abuse is effective – if combined with aftercare – and leads to major reductions in recidivism. For example, his 1999 study involving 478 prisoners at a state prison near San Diego, California found that after three years, only 27 percent of the prisoners involved the prison's drug treatment program with aftercare returned to prison, compared to a recidivism rate of 75 percent for those not involved in the treatment program.  Research has repeatedly shown that investment in treatment is valuable and, furthermore, produces better outcomes with more cost-effectiveness than incarceration alone. The Justice Policy Institute reported that if an individual receives treatment while incarcerated, there is, on average, an estimated benefit of $1.91 to $2.69 for every $1 invested in prison programs.

For over twenty years, the Federal Bureau of Prisons substance abuse treatment strategy has made a significant difference in the lives of inmates, their families, and their communities.  The Bureau's drug abuse treatment strategy has grown and changed as advances have occurred in substance treatment programs.  There are several levels of drug treatment available according to the needs of the offenders.  The Nonresidential Drug Abuse Treatment includes a 12-week, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) treatment program is conducted primarily in a group setting.  Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) is the Bureau’s most intensive treatment program. CBT is used in a modified therapeutic community model where offenders experience living in a pro-social community. Offenders live in a unit separate from general population; they participate in half-day programming and half-day work, school, or vocational activities. RDAP is typically nine months in duration.  Community Treatment Services (CTS)provides continuity of care for offenders placed in Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) and on Home Confinement. Research has found this period to be the most vulnerable time for an offender to relapse into substance use and/or criminal behavior. Research also demonstrates continued treatment and supervision is an essential element to the offender's treatment and success.  CTS provides a comprehensive network of contracted community-based treatment providers in all 50 states, three U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia. The network of professionals consists of licensed individuals (e.g. certified addictions counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, professional counselors, medical doctors, certified sex offender therapists, etc.) and specialized agencies resulting in a variety of services available in the community.  

A study by research scientist Steven S. Martin involving inmates in the Delaware Correctional System also highlights the value of treating prisoners for substance abuse problems during and after incarceration. The Delaware program featured a continuum of care in which some inmates transitioned back into the community through a work-release program involving therapeutic communities (TC) - drug-free residential settings which feature continuous monitoring by counselors, group therapy and family sessions. Dr. Martin found that after one year, a significantly higher percentage of inmates who had participated in any aspect of the program were drug free and arrest free than those assigned to the usual work release program. And after three years, those who had continued with the TC aftercare had significantly less drug use and re-arrests than those who dropped out of the program.

Experimental psychologist D. Dwayne Simpson, Ph.D., of the Institute of Behavioral Research at Texas Christian University analyzed the results of research by Drs. Wexler, Martin and others for special issues of the Prison Journal in 1999 and found drastic effects of such treatment programs. In a combined sample of 1,461 inmates from California, Texas and Delaware, about a quarter of those who took part in intensive drug treatment programs and aftercare ended up back in prison compared with about three-quarters of those who received no treatment in prison or those that received treatment in prison but no treatment after being released.

Rigorous analysis of these programs by the Bureau of Prisons and the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows these programs make a significant positive difference in the lives of inmates following their release from prison, as they are substantially less likely to use drugs or to be rearrested, compared to other inmates who did not participate in the treatment programs.

“We do not as a nation refuse to provide treatment for other chronic ailments like heart disease or diabetes. We should do so for addictive disorders, especially when the added benefits of treatment for offenders include significant reductions in crime and its costs to society.”  Incarceration alone is not the answer to drug addiction.  We need to address the treatment needs of offenders while holding them accountable for their crimes.