Abstract
Beginning with the passage of the Narcotic Addict Rehabili tation Act in 1966, federal drug abuse policy has shifted sig nificantly, in attempts to find alternatives to the traditional punitive model. NARA represented the emergence of a planned, incremental, treatment-centered model for federal offenders. With the advent of the Nixon Administration "law and order" theme, drug policy shifted to a social-control model emphasizing methadone maintenance in local govern mental units as a means of containing street crime. In 1972, Public Law 92-93 authorized a relaxation of the legislative restrictions on NARA and provided greater flexibility in the treatment of federal offenders, including probationers, parolees, and those mandatorily released. Subsequent legisla tion passed by Congress in 1972-73 reflected a desire to merge the treatment-centered model with the social-control model. This paper analyzes these policy trends and raises questions about implications for the administration of justice.
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