Characteristics of criminal justice and noncriminal justice clients receiving treatment for substance abuse.
This study compared three groups of substance abuse clients drawn from a representative sample of community treatment facilities in a large metropolitan area. Clients mandated to treatment from the criminal justice system (CJ-mandated; n = 124), clients currently involved with the criminal justice system but whose treatment was not legally mandated (CJ contact; n = 77), and clients who had no current criminal justice contact (no-CJ contact; n = 364) were compared with respect to sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics including prior history of drug treatment and criminal justice system involvement, criminal behavior, psychological and physical health status, and treatment-related beliefs (e.g., motivation). The three groups differed from one another in certain respects; nonmandated clients currently in contact with the justice system showed similarities to other voluntary clients as well as to clients mandated to receive treatment. Implications for treatment are discussed.
Marshall
Grant N
GN
Health Sciences, RAND, Santa Monica, CA 90407, USA. grant_marshall@rand.org
Hser
Yih-Ing
YI
D000328:Adult; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome