Treating Drug-Abusing Women Prisoners: an Outcomes Evaluation of the Forever Free Program

Abstract

Forever Free is an in-prison, residential, substance abuse treatment program employing a cognitive-behavioral curriculum designed for women. To assess this treatment model, 215 study volunteers in prison were recruited (119 treatment, 96 comparison); a 1-year follow-up was completed with 180 women (101 treatment, 79 comparison). Recidivism, drug use, and employment were examined. Bivariate analyses showed that treated women had significantly fewer arrests, less drug use, and greater employment. Cox regression analysis of time to reincarceration revealed that those with more lifetime arrests had a significantly increased risk of reincarceration; treatment group members and older subjects showed a trend toward decreased risk. Logistic regression analysis showed that treatment group membership and greater age predicted a lowered likelihood of drug use; heroin as the primary drug predicted a greater likeli-hood of use; and increased days in postrelease treatment and higher levels of education predicted employment.