Implementing Evidence-based Practices in Community Corrections and Addiction Treatment

by Taxman, Faye S.; Belenko, Steven

• ISBN13: 9781461404118
• ISBN10: 1461404118
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-11-19
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

Today in the U.S. there are over 6 million persons under supervision by community corrections agencies. An estimated two-thirds of these people have histories of illegal drug use, yet most do not receive adequate treatment while under community supervision. The results are very high relapse and recidivism rates that result in probation or parole failure and in many cases return to prison, obviously at high cost to society. Over the last two decades the community corrections system has been at the forefront of efforts to change the emphasis from incapacitation to a model that includes accountability and rehabilitation. Innovations have surfaced including drug treatment courts, special supervision strategies, boot camps, day reporting programs, and a myriad of other judicial/correctional interventions that intertwine social controls (security) with treatment. Addiction treatment programming is very important since it is the mechanism that has been found to be critical to short and long term change in the attitudes, values, and behaviors of offenders. But identifying correctional and therapeutic programs that are effective is only half of the battle. The more difficult issue is to facilitate adoption and implementation of evidence-based programs by the correctional and/or treatment agency. Recent research indicates that correctional agencies are slow to adopt innovations, and when an evidence-based program is adopted, the core components often are whittled away by other competing external demands or the innovation meets resistance from within the organization. Stated simply, an evidence-based treatment is only as good as the tools to help managers, staff, and stakeholders recognize the value of the innovation and the key components that are required to achieve the desired results. Currently there is no book devoted to organizational strategies that affect patterns of adoption, implementation, and sustainability of innovations in community correctional settings. Given the shift in focus from incapacitation to evidence-based programming, and the need to increase addiction treatment linkages for offenders, this book is needed to present the scientific evidence available on implementation strategies that contribute to successful reform.