The Amity In-Prison and Post-Prison Therapeutic Community (TC ...

Building the First In-PrisonTherapeutic Community forLevel IV Custody Offenders atthe California State Prison-LosAngeles County (LAC):An Overview

Beginnings…..1n November of 1987,CDC Director JimRowland asked AmityChief Executive RodMullen and Deputy NayaArbiter to consult.“We’re filling up theprisons with drugoffenders,” said Rowland,“and we are doing nothingeffective about drug abusewhile these offenders are inprison or on parole.”

Recommendations…..Mullen & Arbiter toured several prisonsand parole regions, then spoke toRowland’s Executive Staff.“Find a prison that has never had a drugprogram, and a Warden who is respectedby his peers and who will support a‘model’ program based on the therapeuticcommunity approach—which researchdemonstrates is the most effective. If themodel shows good results, it can then beexpanded.” Mullen & Arbiter, 1987

Rowland’s s actionsDirector Roland began a task force on the drugproblem….this led to the formation of the Officeof Substance Abuse Programs, headed by DavidWinette.OSAP proposed developing one model programin a prison, and two parolee “networks”—one inthe San Francisco Bay Area (BASN); the otherin San Diego (P3).Rowland then placed a call to Warden JohnRatelle…

John Ratelle and R.J. DonovanRowland Warden Ratelle, a 30year + CDC veteran and askedhim if he would host the modelprogram.Warden Ratelle and AssociateWarden Tom Hornung visited theAmity/Pima County Jail Projectin Tucson, which provided TCtreatment for 50 incarceratedsubstance abusers.“I don’t like treatment,” saidRatelle, “but I like this.”•A A request for proposal wasissued in 1990.•Amity was the successfulbidder

AmityHousingUnitAmityProgramTrailersFacility III at R.J. Donovan,1100 Level III custody inmates

The housing unit, 200 mendouble celled...

Outcomes / Drug Use in PrisonWarden Ratelle conducted twocomplete surprise tests of ALLmen in the Amity unit, no TC orcustody staff were warned: allmen locked down in their cells atthe same time and not releaseduntil all had given a urinespecimenIn one test, only one man of 200was positive for drugs.In the second test, none of themen tested positive.

Outcomes / Benefits to CDC staff“ There is a similarlypositive strikingreduction of work injury,sick leave and otherpersonal quality oflife/cost impact amongcustody assigned to thetreatment unit {Amity}versus officers in allother yards and housingunits.”David Deitch, Ph.D, Director of theAddiction Technology Transfer Centerat UCSD (1998) From a six monthstudy conducted by UCSD at the RJ.Donovan Correctional Facility betweenJanuary 1, 1997 and June 30th, 1997.)

Outcomes/Recidivism ReductionComparisons of Inmateswho did NOT participateshow that 3/4ths of themwere back in prison three 75.1years after release.%But only about 1/4 of theAmity participants who Nocompleted the programTXwere in prison. 27.4%From a study conducted byH.Wexler, Ph.D. 1998NDRI funded by NIDAAmity

Outcomes / Cost benefitsThe 1997 Legislative Analyst’s Report onPrison Population growth determined that if theAmity results could be replicated through anexpansion of substance abuse treatment to10,000 beds over seven years, the state wouldnot have to build an additional 4,700 beds. Thatscenario would also result in a one time capitaloutlay savings of $210,000,000 with annualsavings of $80,000,000 a year.

Amity Model adopted by CDCThe results of the Amity/RJD program have becomethe “template” for the expansion of therapeuticcommunity type drug treatment within CDC.In 1996 there were 400 TC beds…Currently 9,000 beds with funded aftercare havebeen authorized by the State Legislature.Amity’s TC at California State Prison at LosAngeles County, started in 1998, is the first to bringthis type of intensive TC to Level IVoffenders…………..

Breakthrough…“The Amity program at R.J. Donovan ,and the results that it has achieved, can beconsidered a breakthrough incorrections—one of those rare occasionswhen that overused term, “paradigm shift”is genuinely appropriate.”James Rowland, Director, California Department of Corrections(retired)

Significance…..“…the Criminal Justice Treatment Initiative in theCalifornia Department of Corrections is the largestsingle state initiative in U.S. history targeting criminaldrug offenders.The growth of this initiative can be credited to theoutcomes obtained by the Amity Foundation, whichestablished the Amity Prison Therapeutic Communityat the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility inNovember of 1990.”Robert Presley, Agency Secretary, Youth and Adult CorrectionalAgency, November, 2000

CSP-LACFive year contract awarded to Amity Foundationbeginning June, 1998.Amity’s 2 nd In-Prison TC (SAP)—now have addedCTF Soledad & CSP Ironwood (Blythe).Target Population: 200 Level IV inmates with identifiedsubstance abuse problems in their files (or volunteers).Amity participants housed on yard D, Building 3.Trailers built in the vocational area (behind workchange) for Amity program activities.

Who are the men in the Amity TC?Average age 31 yearsold-younger than othermale SAPsLength of currentincarceration 4.4 years—over twice as long as anyother SAP, and and eighttimes longer than those atCRC.52.5% African-American; 19.1% White---20% difference fromother SAPs•Data from UCLA-DARC

•A A Morning Meeting Duringone of the Quarterly “retreat”workshops

Who are the men in the Amity TC?65.5% never married---higher than that of otherSAPs63.3% not employed in the 30 days prior toincarceration—higher than other SAPsHeroin cited as the first, second, and third “drug ofchoice”---no other male SAP cites heroin as any ofthe the first three drugs of choice.16.1% identified on DSM-IV criteria as having nodrug or alcohol dependence—higher than mostSAPs

•A A Group in theTrailers

Who are the men in the Amity TC?16% report suicide attempts---higher than other SAPs14.2 years reported as age of first arrest—lower thanother SAPs21.2 lifetime arrests—higher than other SAPsNumber of felony convictions = 5.2; higher than otherSAPsNumber of years incarcerated = 10.2; much higher thanother SAPsNumber of violent felony convictions = 2; higher thanother SAPs38.9% most recent crime was a crime against a person—much higher than other SAPs (CRC programs report 3%-5%).

•Participantsarticulate theirrationalizations forengaging in criminal,anti-social behavioras part of thecurriculum.

Unique FeaturesAmity StaffAmity CurriculumQuarterly intense retreats/workshops forparticipantsQuarterly Cross TrainingsUse of CeremonyUse of peer mentors/workersFocus on emotional safety, “sanctuary”

•The The Conclusion of oursecond retreat—Resistance, Resentment,Rationalization.

TC CurriculumAll participants are involved in ancomprehensive written curriculumdeveloped by Naya Arbiter (Extensions,LLC) specifically for Amity, andspecifically for incarcerated drug abusingoffenders. Counselors are trained in thedelivery of the curriculum.The Curriculum is phased and involvesencounter groups, workshops, seminars,video playback, psychodrama, writtenand oral exercises, post-release planning;relationship training; emotionalintelligence and moral developmentexercises.