0 - National Criminal Justice Reference Service

1. Overview
In fro duction
Like other states, Pennsylvania has experienced rapid growth in its correctional population
and capacity since 1980. Like other states, correctional issues in Pennsylvania command greater
budget and policy attention than ever before (Welsh, 1993; 1995). Like other states, Pennsylvania
lacks the necessary resources to evaluate the wide range of treatment programs offered to
thousands of inmates within its institutions. There is an increasing need for evaluative research, to
determine which programs work for which offenders under which conditions, to improve
programming to reduce recidivism and increase public safety, and to demonstrate accountability.
In particular, high numbers of drug-involved offenders are treated annually, but research is sorely
needed to determine effective elements of service delivery and overall treatment effectiveness.
The purpose of our current project was to examine multiple treatment process measures
and post-release outcomes for 2,981 inmates who participated in TC drug treatment programs or
comparison groups at five state prisons. Matched comparison groups made up of TC-eligible
inmates participating in less intensive forms of treatment (e.g., short-term drug education and
outpatient treatment groups) at the same five institutions were constructed post-hoc based upon
known predictors such as drug dependency, need for treatment and criminal history. Process and
outcome measures incorporated a range of institutional (e.g., misconducts), intermediate (e.g.,
attitudinal and behavioral change, participation in treatment) and post-release measures (e.g., drug
relapse, rearrest and reincarceration). We also examine critical interactions between client
e
selection, program structure and process, inmate responses to treatment and outcomes.
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This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not
been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.