Transcript Rearrest Rates After Participation in In

In-Jail Therapeutic Community
Drug Treatment:
Impact on Rearrest Rates
4th Annual Drug Abuse Symposium
Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science
James K. Cunningham, Ph.D.
Research and Education on Addiction and Community Health (REACH)
Department of Family and Community Medicine
The University of Arizona
Research Question
Is participation in a 90-day in-custody
therapeutic community drug treatment
program associated with a reduction in
arrests?
Setting & Program
• Theo Lacy Jail in Orange County, CA
• Jail for males only
• Program Type—Therapeutic Community
• Program Period—Calendar Year 2006
Research Design
• Rearrest rates of program participants
(n = 186) were compared to rearrest rates
of inmates who applied to the program
(n = 256) but were not accepted.
• Both groups were followed for 12 months
post release.
White
Latino
African American
Married
Single
Median Age
Violence Charge
Property Charge
Treatment
46.2%
47.8%
4.8%
Comparison
49.1%
41.9%
4.2%
17.2%
78.5%
18.9%
75.8%
31.0
30.0
8.6%
37.1%
14.3%
27.5%
Treatment and Comparison Groups During 12
Months Post Release: Percentage Rearrested
100
90
80
Treatment Group
Comparison Group
Percent .
70
61.5%
60
50
48.6%
40
30
20
10
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Month Post Release
9
10
11
12
Conclusion
• In contrast to the comparison group,
treatment participants had lower rearrest
rates throughout the year following
release.
• This is consistent with the proposition that
the program is helping to reduce rearrests
among its participants.