Process Evaluation of the Michigan Department of Corrections Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) Program, 1999 (ICPSR 2975)

Time Period(s) View help for Time Period(s)

Date of Collection View help for Date of Collection

Data Collection Notes View help for Data Collection Notes

Hide

Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose

This study was a process evaluation of the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) residential substance abuse treatment (RSAT) program at the Cooper Street Correctional Facility in Jackson, Michigan. The 272-bed program was designed to treat male, minimum-custody inmates with a history of serious chemical dependency. The phase of treatment at the Jackson Cooper Street facility lasted six months, and was followed by a 12-month aftercare component. The in-custody phase of treatment was guided by a standardized, cognitively-based curriculum created by Ken Wanberg and Harvey Milkman, "Strategies for Self Improvement and Change." The main theory of change behind the program was that education about drugs, and their physical, familial, and social effects, coupled with opportunities to learn about recovery and identify triggers for substance use, would help substance-abusing offenders to avoid both substance abuse and criminal behaviors once released into the community. The overall goals of this research were to (1) conduct a process evaluation that examined the integrity of program implementation, and (2) make specific recommendations with regard to program structure and eligibility criteria that could better prepare the program for an impact evaluation. The major areas of focus included: (1) program context, including program design, agencies contributing to its development, costs, and operating assumptions regarding criminal behavior and the treatment of addiction, (2) program goals, including compatibility, clarity, and measurability of goals, operating assumptions and selection of participants, and the level of buy-in from key stakeholders, (3) selection criteria, including stated criteria and their operation, profile of applicants versus the larger pool of eligible inmates, rates of program completion, and frequency and reasons for dropouts and terminations, (4) program intervention, including comparison between program's design and its form once it became operational, type, intensity, and duration of services and the degree to which treatment standards have been realized, and (5) interagency linkages, including level of cooperation and coordination among agencies actively involved in program delivery and the relationship between the program and the Michigan Parole Board.

Study Design View help for Study Design

This study used multiple data sources. Part 1, MDOC Data, was acquired from the MDOC's Correctional Management Information System, which included demographic, criminal history, programming, and institutional misconduct information for a stock snapshot of the entire inmate population. These data, which were cleaned and audited by the researchers, provided information on all 44,061 inmates in the custody of MDOC on July 1, 1999. Part 2, RSAT Applications data, contains data for the 834 applications received by August 30, 1999. These data were received from University of Michigan (UM) researchers doing a project on the long-term impact of the RSAT program on offender substance abuse and recidivism. The data were collected using a screening form for each application, and were initially generated and entered into an electronic format by RSAT program staff. Specific goals and parameters had been developed for each project to ensure that MDOC and program staff were not overwhelmed by requests for data and access to the RSAT program. UM researchers cleaned and audited Part 2 data for consistency and completeness. Part 3, Service Tracking Data, contains RSAT admission and parole data, which were manually collected.

Sample View help for Sample

To be eligible for the RSAT program inmates must have been (1) within 12 to 18 months of earliest release date (ERD) at application and within six to 12 months of ERD at admission, (2) non-violent offenders, (3) classified as requiring minimum custody, (4) meet the DSM-IV diagnosis for substance abuse or dependency, and (5) free of physical or mental health issues that would prevent full participation.

Universe View help for Universe

Male inmates in the custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections in 1999.

Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation

Data Source View help for Data Source

Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)

Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables

Part 1, Michigan Department of Corrections Data, variables include date of birth, race, location, earliest release date (ERD), age, offense categories, statute reference, offense group, sentence, truth-in-sentencing condition, whether admitted to RSAT, date admitted, and other demographic, criminal history, programming, and insititutional misconduct variables. Part 2, RSAT Applications Data, variables include date application reviewed, disposition of case, year the applicant was born, sex, race, ERD, reason for incarceration, whether ERD was within six to 18 months, whether applicant was a non-violent offender, whether applicant had a substance abuse history, mental health issues, and appropriate MDOC security level for RSAT program, age at screening, whether admitted, date admitted, whether included in Part 3 data, type of parole action, projected release date, date of graduation, type of discharge from program, and several derived variables. Part 3, Service Tracking Data, variables include housing unit, date of transfer to unit, hours and number of sessions for case conferences, psychoactive substance education, thinking skills, interactive group therapy, individual counseling, case management, and all treatment types, Phase One start date, Phase Two start date, Phase Three start date, Phase Three end date, discharge type, weeks in each phase, weeks in unit prior to program start, total weeks for those who finished Phase Three, and average hours per week.

Response Rates View help for Response Rates

Not applicable.

Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales

None.

Hide

Original Release Date View help for Original Release Date

2003-05-09

Version History View help for Version History

Hide