Alcohol abuse and dependency remain a serious problem among incarcerated offenders. Successful treatment requires specific interventions that augment generic substance abuse treatment. The purpose of this study is to delineate areas for intervention with alcoholic inmates. One hundred twenty-eight alcoholic inmates (64 men and 64 women) from the Massachusetts state prison system were randomly selected and interviewed. Measures included the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), the Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS), and Hare's Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). The data suggests that, along with substance abuse treatment, interventions should be directed at: (a) early intervention; (b) physical, sexual, and emotional trauma issues; (c) depression and suicide potential; (d) occupational skills; (e) safe sex education; (f) violent behavior; and (g) psychopathic characterological issues, when warranted.
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