Recidivism Following Mandated Residential Substance Abuse Treatment for Felony Probationers

Abstract

Substance abuse is common among probationers, and treatment programs have become an integral part of community corrections. The current study presents findings from a modified therapeutic community (TC) serving drug abusing probationers in a large metropolitan area. Findings show that treatment dropouts were more likely to be rearrested for a serious felony within 2 years of leaving the TC program than were treatment graduates and probationers from an untreated comparison group. Also, a significantly smaller proportion of graduates were rearrested during the 2nd year after release compared to those who drop out of treatment or who do not receive treatment. Logistic regression analysis that adjusted for pre-existing group differences suggests there was a small impact of the TC program on recidivism, with treatment graduates only slightly less likely to be arrested within 2 years of leaving the program.