September 10, 2009

Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations

Since 1974, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has supported research on drug abuse treatment for people involved in the criminal justice system. The research findings show that treatment reduces drug abuse and criminal recidivism, but criminal justice systems across the nation have been slow to embrace (and pay for) comprehensive substance abuse treatment and aftercare as a key tactic. Treatment programs address public health and safety issues related to drug abuse and recidivism, as well as reducing the social burden of drug use, at lower cost than incarceration alone or short-term treatment programs. NIDA condensed its 30+ years of research into 13 principles of drug abuse treatment for criminal justice populations to help correctional agencies better understand the evidence base for providing comprehensive substance abuse treatment and aftercare.