Involuntary Treatment Within a Prison Setting

Abstract

Given the high proportion of criminal justice treatment clients in the United States, a major policy and program issue in drug treatment is the appropriateness and effectiveness of coercing offenders to enter and remain in treatment. As part of a comprehensive evaluation of a large treatment facility in California, the authors conducted an analysis of during-treatment psychosocial changes of inmates admitted voluntarily and those admitted involuntarily. The main focus was on psychological functioning (self-esteem, depression, anxiety, decision making, and selfefficacy) and social functioning (hostility, risk taking, and social conformity). Regardless of voluntary or involuntary admission status, treatment participants exhibited significant during-treatment change on most measures of psychosocial functioning, although significant change was more likely on measures of psychological than on social functioning. In addition, similar percentages of both groups were paroled from treatment (as opposed to being discharged from the program prior to parole) and agreed to attend community treatment.