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drug use than untreated women (35.0 percent and 42.6 percent, respectively), although the results
were not statistically significant.
Women who completed treatment were more likely to be employed full-time during the
entire post-release period and had a higher employment rate (that is, the percent of post-release
time employed in any capacity) than the comparison group. Women who completed treatment
were employed 68.6 percent of the post-release period and untreated women were employed 59.1
percent of the time. Among men, those who completed treatment were employed 70.5 percent of
the time and untreated men were employed 68.6 percent of the time.
Gaps in Current Knowledge
Although research on prison-based TC has suggested that the effects of TC are generally
a
positive, especially when coupled with intensive aftercare treatment, studies have been criticized
for small sample sizes, failing to adequately control for biased selection and biased attrition,
unknown or compromised program implementation, and inadequate attention to interactions
between inmate characteristics, treatment process, and treatment outcomes (Austin, 1998;
Fletcher & Tims, 1992). Even where the follow-up risk period has been standardized (3 years),
different recidivism rates (45- 79% for TC only; 25 - 31 % for TC + Aftercare) using divergent
outcome measures (e.g., official arrest records, reincarceration, and self-reports of drug use and
offending) have been reported. The potential effects of variations in TC implementation across
different sites have rarely been considered.
Many studies have not adequately examined or controlled for possible selection bias in
a
treatment and comparison groups. Self-selection is often the main guide that inmates use to
navigate through treatment options, which complicates the clarity of scientific interpretations
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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.