Evaluation of the Focused Offender Disposition Program in Birmingham, Phoenix, and Chicago, 1988-1992 (ICPSR 6214)

Data Collection Notes View help for Data Collection Notes

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Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose

The Drug Testing Technology/Focused Offender Disposition (FOD) program was designed to examine two questions regarding drug users in the criminal justice system. One was the utility of need assessment instruments in appropriately determining the level of treatment and/or supervision needed by criminal offenders with a history of drug use. Specifically, the researchers wanted to test whether the Offender Profile Index instrument provided a more accurate assessment of the treatment needs of drug-using probationers than the local assessment instrument used at each site. The second question focused on the use of urinalysis monitoring as a deterrent to subsequent drug use. Researchers asked whether urinalysis monitoring alone was as successful as when urinalysis monitoring was combined with some standard treatment-based intervention. After the completion of the original FOD program in Phoenix, a pilot program was developed to include only those offenders on probation who were detained in jail prior to sentencing. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the constraints involved in implementing a FOD program with this particular offender population. In addition, the researchers sought to compare the success of urinalysis monitoring between regular probationers and probationers who served jail time prior to sentencing.

Study Design View help for Study Design

The FOD program was first established in Birmingham, Alabama, and Phoenix, Arizona, in December 1988 and ran through August 1990. The Chicago, Illinois, program began in October 1990 and ended in March 1992. The program at each site provided an experimental design for evaluative analysis. The design called for probationers with a history of recent drug use to be assessed with one of two different treatment instruments. Half of all clients were assessed with the objective Offender Profile Index (OPI) designed by the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD). The other half were assessed with the local instrument administered in each site by Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime (TASC), Inc., a nationwide service provider that assesses and sometimes treats drug users. The local TASC instrument in Birmingham and Chicago was a highly subjective clinical interview, while the Phoenix TASC assessment was a more objective instrument called the Risk Assessment Scale (RAS). After administering the instrument, the clients' levels of assessed need were grouped into four categories: (1) urinalysis only, (2) outpatient care with urinalysis, (3) short-term residential care with urinalysis, and (4) long-term residential care with urinalysis. Regardless of which assessment procedure was used, offenders were then randomly assigned to one of two groups. Half of all offenders assessed by the OPI and half of the offenders assessed by the local instrument were assigned to a control group. Control group clients received only a program of random urinalysis monitoring, regardless of the drug treatment intervention strategy prescribed by the assessment instrument. The other half of offenders in each assessment group were assigned to the treatment group. These clients received the drug intervention treatment consistent with their assessed need for treatment. Due to important differences in the implementation of the FOD program at each site and the characteristics of the probationers who participated in the program, comparisons among the three sites are not recommended. The Phoenix pilot study, which ran from March 1991 to May 1992, was designed like the first Phoenix study, except that the sample for the pilot study was drawn from convicted felons who were jailed prior to sentencing and who were expected to be sentenced to probation.

Sample View help for Sample

The original FOD program included offenders with a history of recent drug use who were placed on probation and who were not incarcerated while awaiting sentencing. Participation was mandated in Birmingham and in some cases in Chicago, and voluntary in Phoenix and in some cases in Chicago. The Phoenix follow-up pilot study participants were referred to the program by pre-sentence investigators and included only those qualified offenders who were incarcerated while awaiting sentencing.

Universe View help for Universe

Probationers.

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

These data contain administrative information, such as current offense, number of arrests, number of convictions, and prior charges. The need assessment instruments were used to gather data on clients' living arrangements, educational and vocational backgrounds, friendships, history of mental problems, drug use history, and scores measuring stakes in conformity. In addition, the study specifically collected information on the monitoring of the clients while in the FOD program, including the number of urinalyses administered and their results, as well as the placement of clients in treatment programs. The files also contain demographic information, such as age, race, sex, and education.

Response Rates View help for Response Rates

Not applicable.

Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales

Several Likert-type scales were used.

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Original Release Date View help for Original Release Date

1999-02-25

Version History View help for Version History

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