The Effect of Treatment Completion on Recidivism Among TASC Program Clients.

Despite the enormous resources spent by states in the United States on bridging the gap between criminal justice and behavioral health services, there have been relatively few statewide evaluations of drug treatment client recidivism. We present the results of an evaluation of recidivism outcomes for a sample of individuals ( n = 1,274) referred to the Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) program in North Carolina from 2007 to 2008. The methodology accounted for both client and offense characteristics drawn from TASC, court, and corrections records. Multivariate analyses indicated that program completion is the most important predictor of re-arrest in the 3-year follow-up period, followed by a number of protective and risk factors. More specifically, being female, older at the time of program entry, as well as higher levels of educational attainment decreased the odds of re-arrest, whereas using crack/cocaine increased the odds of re-arrest. Suggestions for future research and policy implications are provided.

Extending Recidivism Monitoring for Drug Courts: Methods Issues and Policy Implications.

A wealth of research has been amassed documenting the effectiveness of drug treatment courts in addressing the needs of substance-abusing individuals involved with the criminal justice system. However, there is a relative dearth of research that examines the long-term impact of these programs on recidivism rates for both drug treatment court graduates and those unsuccessfully discharged from the program. In this study, we examine which demographic and programmatic/legal factors influence program disposition and recidivism rates of participants (both graduates and those unsuccessfully discharged) across the 5 years following their discharge from a drug treatment court program located in a suburban city in the Midwest. The study sample consists of 249 (N = 249) male participants who have been out of the program for more than 5 years. Results from the univariate and multivariate analyses are provided, as well as policy implications, directions for future research, and study limitations.

Successful completion: an examination of factors influencing drug court completion for white and non-white male participants.

This research examines the influence of demographic and legal factors on the successful completion of the Seahawk Drug Treatment Court Program for White and Non-White male participants. Located in a medium-size city, the program targets male felony offenders and has been in operation for more than 10 years. The research sample is comprised of 526 participants with a program disposition between January 1, 2005 and September 30, 2010. Using race-specific logistic regression models, results reveal both similarities and differences among these groups. The implications and limitations of this research are discussed, as well as avenues for future research.