0 - National Criminal Justice Reference Service

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According to a recent report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) (2000), 40% of all correctional facilities nationwide (federal and state
prisons, local jails, and juvenile facilities) provided some sort of on-site substance abuse treatment
(i.e., detoxification, group or individual counseling, rehabilitation, and methadone or other
pharmaceutical treatment) to inmates in 1997. However, only about 11% of inmates in these
institutions received any treatment, most fiequently in a general facility population program. Few
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of these inmates were treated in specialized treatment units (28%) or hospital or psychiatric
inpatient units (2%).
Prison-based TC treatment programs date back to at least the 1960's. In general, TC
programs emphasize the necessity of the inmate taking responsibility for hisher behavior before,
during, and after treatment, and inmates play an important role in structuring collective norms and
sanctions. TC is a system that validates the humanity of its participants, engages their full
resources, and accepts the risk of disorder and confiontations. TC principally targets for change
the inmate's sense of self-worth and responsibility. The major vehicle for change is a social
environment whose constitutive principle is justice, with corollaries of participation, giving
reasons, and personal dignity (Studt, Messinger and Wilson, 1968). While democratic principles
underlay the basic philosophy of TC, true prison-based TC programs require highly committed
prison staff members and responsive inmates (Toch, 1980). Transition to full membership in the
TC requires incremental adjustment to new behavioral modes and participation in a collectivized
environment.
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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.