The Differences between a Substance Abuse Programs
In an attempt to mitigate the co-related effects of drug abuse and crime, programs that provided treatment for substance abuse in prison were introduced in the 1980s (Burdon et al., 2002). This essay seeks to make a comparison between the differences in a substance abuse program (SAP) in prison and a program in the outside community.
Comparison of Mandated and non-mandated Treatment
When gauging the effectiveness of voluntary and coerced treatment, factors such as recidivism, motivation in patients to continue treatment and the outcome of treatment make the top considerations. Studies have shown that the legal status of treatment program referrals is an effective retention-enhancing and outcome-improving strategy (Parhar, Wormith, Derkzen & Beauregard, 2008).
Additional comparative research has shown that individuals who are legally mandated to be in treatment are likely to stay longer in treatment compared to those who are not legally mandated.
The attendance rate is also higher among those who are coerced to attend treatment. Retention was also increased by the elevation of the individual's perceived legal status regardless of their actual legal status (Anglin, Prendergast & Farabee, 1998; Parhar et al., 2008).However, studies exist that have shown negative results for mandated treatment. It has been found that organizations that carry out 75% of mandated cases perform poorly when compared to organizations with less mandated cases. Other studies have shown that treatment that is mandated does not reduce recidivism, while others show that the level of effectiveness is the same in mandated treatment as it is in non-mandated treatment. The confusing results have to do with different definitions of coerced and voluntary treatment. To be effective, programs have to be lengthy, highly structured, and flexible, and be regularly evaluated (Anglin, Prendergast & Farabee, 1998; Parhar et al., 2008).
Conclusion
Although some studies show that coerced treatment has its successes, others show that this kind of treatment is ineffective or equally effective to non-mandated treatment at best. This discrepancy has to do with the non-standard definitions of ?coerced? and ?voluntary? in the studies conducted. Programs, however, have been shown to be made more effective by increasing their duration, making them structured and flexible, and evaluating them regularly.
tcu football westminster bonnaroo 2012 lineup twisted metal sea lion si swimsuit 2012 westminster dog show