This paper presents the findings of studies of the alcohol treatment system in two California counties. It identifies the functions carried out by treatment providers, many of which differ from and occasionally contradict official program goals. Reasons for these discrepancies stem from political as well as economic factors. Demands have been made on the treatment system to deliver services which traditionally were provided by the criminal justice and welfare systems. The shift is also explained by the unique historical development and ideological character of the alcohol treatment system. The study identifies several changes in the service delivery system, which include client demographics and problem definitions. Implications of these changes involve a de facto compromise of the more traditional treatment ethics and class bias in the process of client selection.
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