Evaluation of the Breaking the Cycle Demonstration Project: Jacksonville, FL and Tacoma, WA

Abstract

This research presents the results of the evaluation of the Breaking the Cycle (BTC) demonstration project in Jacksonville, FL and Tacoma, WA. The BTC demonstration project tested the feasibility and impact of system-wide intervention designed to reduce drug use among offenders. Specifically, the BTC model was designed to identify drug using felony defendants and then apply a combination of drug testing linked to graduated sanctions and drug treatment to promote abstinence among these defendants. The evaluation of BTC revealed that certain elements of the intervention might not be feasible. However, the results of the quasi-experimental impact evaluation discovered that, in spite of partial program implementation, participation in BTC was associated with reductions in criminal behavior.