The Moderating Effect of Substance Abuse Treatment Engagement on the Connection Between Support From Program Participants and Substance-Related Recidivism for Justice-Involved Women

Abstract

This study examines the prediction of substance-related technical violations and arrests from (a) a three-dimensional measure of substance abuse treatment engagement—treatment satisfaction, treatment participation, and counselor rapport—and (b) support from peers in the treatment program. The study focuses on 204 women on probation or parole who attended a substance abuse treatment program in the first 9 months of supervision. Data were collected in face-to-face interviews and from official records of violations and arrests. Generalized linear mixed-effects modeling was used to assess the main effects and the interaction effect of within-program peer support and other indicators of engagement as predictors of substance-related technical violations and arrests. Peer support was positively related to violations/arrests when treatment engagement was low. Findings suggest that for women who do not score high in treatment engagement, support from peers is related to increased recidivism, and group treatment may be contraindicated.

Keywords

women in the criminal justice system substance abuse treatment peer support treatment engagement

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aiken

L. S.

West

S. G.

(1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Armstrong

G. S.

Atkin-Plunk

Gartner

N. R.

(2016). Perceptions of Motivational Interviewing: Validation of the Client Evaluation of Motivational Interviewing Scale With Probation Clients. Criminal Justice and behavior, 43, 1095-1106.

Barnes

G. C.

Ahlman

Gill

Sherman

L. W.

Kurtz

Malvestuto

(2010). Low-intensity community supervision for low-risk offenders: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 6, 159-189.

Bates

Maechler

Bolker

Walker

(2015). Fitting linear mixed-effects models using lme4. Journal of Statistical Software, 67(1), 1-48.

Bennett

Holloway

(2009). The causal connection between drug misuse and crime. British Journal of Criminology, 49, 513-531.

Bennett

Holloway

Farrington

(2008). The statistical association between drug misuse and crime: A meta-analysis. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 13, 107-118.

Blanchette

Brown

S. L.

(2006). The assessment and treatment of women offenders: An integrative perspective. Chichester, UK: John Wiley.

Braga

A. A.

(2016). The continued importance of measuring potentially harmful impacts of crime prevention programs: The academy of experimental criminology 2014 Joan McCord lecture. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 12(1), 1-20.

Broome

K. M.

Knight

Hiller

M. L.

Simpson

D. D.

(1996). Drug treatment process indicators for probationers and prediction of recidivism. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 13, 487-491.

10.

Broome

K. M.

Simpson

D. D.

Joe

G. W.

(2002). The role of social support following short-term inpatient treatment. American Journal on Addictions, 11, 57-65.

11.

Carroll

K. M.

Ball

S. A.

Nich

Martino

Frankforter

T. L.

Farentinos

. . . Polcin

(2006). Motivational interviewing to improve treatment engagement and outcome in individuals seeking treatment for substance abuse: A multisite effectiveness study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 81, 301-312.

12.

Cobbina

J. E.

Huebner

B. M.

Berg

M. T.

(2012). Men, women, and postrelease offending: An examination of the nature of the link between relational ties and recidivism. Crime & Delinquency, 58, 331-361.

13.

Dishion

T. J.

McCord

Poulin

(1999). When interventions harm: Peer groups and problem behavior. American Psychologist, 54, 755-764.

14.

Dodge

K. A.

Dishion

T. J.

Lansford

J. E.

(2006). Deviant peer influences in intervention and public policy for youth. Social Policy Report, 20(1), 1-20.

15.

Dowden

Blanchette

(2002). An evaluation of the effectiveness of substance abuse programming for female offenders. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 46, 220-230.

16.

Drake

E. K.

Aos

(2012). Confinement for technical violations of community supervision: Is there an effect on felony recidivism. Olympia: Washington State Institute for Public Policy.

17.

Drieschner

K. H.

Verschuur

(2010). Treatment engagement as a predictor of premature treatment termination and treatment outcome in a correctional outpatient sample. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 20, 86-99.

18.

Exum

L. M.

(2002). Application and robustness of the rational choice perspective in the study of intoxicated and angry intentions to aggress. Criminology, 40, 933-966.

19.

Fisher

J. E.

Mason

R. L.

(1981). The analysis of multicollinear data in criminology. In Fox

J. A.

(Ed.), Methods in quantitative criminology (pp. 99-125). New York, NY: Academic.

20.

Garner

B. R.

Knight

Flynn

P. M.

Morey

J. T.

Simpson

D. D.

(2007). Measuring offender attributes and engagement in treatment using the client evaluation of self and treatment. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34, 1113-1130.

21.

Gossop

Trakada

Stewart

Witton

(2005). Reductions in criminal convictions after addiction treatment: 5-year follow-up. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 79, 295-302.

22.

Grella

C. E.

Stein

J. A.

Greenwell

(2005). Associations among childhood trauma, adolescent problem behaviors, and adverse adult outcomes in substance-abusing women offenders. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 19, 43-53.

23.

Griffith

J. D.

Knight

D. K.

Joe

G. W.

Simpson

D. D.

(1998). Implications of family and peer relations for treatment engagement and follow-up outcomes: An integrative model. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 12, 113-126.

24.

Guerino

Harrison

P. M.

Sabol

W. J.

(2011). Prisoners in 2010 (No. NCJ 236096). Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics. https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p10.pdf

25.

Harlow

(1999). Prior abuse reported by inmates and probationers (No. NCJ 172879). Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics. https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/parip.pdf

26.

Joe

G. W.

Broome

K. M.

Rowan-Szal

Simpson

D. D.

(2002). Measuring patient attributes and engagement in treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 22, 183-196.

27.

Joe

G. W.

Simpson

D. D.

Broome

K. M.

(1999). Retention and patient engagement models for different treatment modalities in DATOS. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 57, 113-125.

28.

Joe

G. W.

Simpson

D. D.

Dansereau

D. F.

Rowan-Szal

(2001). Relationships between counseling rapport and drug abuse treatment outcomes. Psychiatric Services, 52, 1223-1229.

29.

Knight

D. K.

Joe

G. W.

Crawley

R. D.

Becan

J. E.

Dansereau

D. F.

Flynn

P. M.

(2016). The effectiveness of the treatment readiness and induction program (TRIP) for improving during-treatment outcomes. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 62, 20-27.

30.

Knight

D. K.

Simpson

D. D.

(1996). Influences of family and friends on client progress during drug abuse treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse, 8, 417-429.

31.

Kreis

M. K. F.

Gillings

Svanberg

Schwannauer

(2016). Relational pathways to substance misuse and drug-related offending in women: The role of trauma, insecure attachment, and shame. International Journal of Forensic Mental Health, 15, 35-47.

32.

Langan

N. P.

Pelissier

B. M. M.

(2001). Gender differences among prisoners in drug treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse, 13, 291-301.

33.

Leverentz

A. M.

(2006). The love of a good man? Romantic relationships as a source of support or hindrance for female ex-offenders. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 43, 459-488.

34.

Lowenkamp

Latessa

E. J.

(2004). Understanding the risk principle: How and why correctional interventions can harm low-risk offenders (Topics in Community Corrections). Washington, DC: National Institute of Corrections.

35.

Lurigio

A. J.

Swartz

J. A.

(1999). The nexus between drugs and crime: Theory, research, and practice. Federal Probation, 63, 67-72.

36.

MacKenzie

D. L.

Brame

(2001). Community supervision, prosocial activities, and recidivism. Justice Quarterly, 18, 429-448.

37.

Matheson

Doherty Grant

(2011). Community-based aftercare and return to custody in a national sample of substance-abusing women offenders. American Journal of Public Health, 101, 1126-1132.

38.

McLellan

A. T.

Chalk

Bartlett

(2007). Outcomes, performance, and quality: What’s the difference? Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 32, 331-340.

39.

McMurran

Ward

(2010). Treatment readiness, treatment engagement and behavior change. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 20, 75-85.

40.

Mumola

C. J.

Karberg

J. C.

(2006). Drug use and dependence, state and federal prisoners, 2004 Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice.

41.

Office of National Drug Control Policy. (2013). Improving the measurement of drug-related crime. Washington, DC: Executive Office of the President.

42.

Olson

D. E.

Lurigio

A. J.

(2000). Predicting probation outcomes: Factors associated with probation rearrest, revocations, and technical violations during supervision. Justice Research and Policy, 2, 73-86.

43.

Pérez

D. M.

(2009). Applying evidence-based practices to community corrections supervision: An evaluation of residential substance abuse treatment for high-risk probationers. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 25, 442-458.

44.

Petersilia

Turner

(1993). Intensive probation and parole. Crime and Justice, 17, 281-335.

45.

Prendergast

M. L.

Podus

Chang

Urada

(2002). The effectiveness of drug abuse treatment: A meta-analysis of comparison group studies. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 67, 53-72.

46.

Richards

(2011). What makes juvenile offenders different from adult offenders? Trends & Issues in Crime & Criminal Justice, 409, 1-8.

47.

Rowan-Szal

Joe

G. W.

Simpson

D. D.

Greener

J. M.

Vance

(2009). During-treatment outcomes among female methamphetamine-using offenders in prison-based treatments. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 48, 388-401.

48.

Simpson

D. D.

(2004). A conceptual framework for drug treatment process and outcomes. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 27, 99-121.

49.

Simpson

D. D.

(2006). An integrated approach to treatment for addiction. Texas Christian University Treatment System Overview of Background and Structure (Special issue). http://ibr.tcu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/06-Aug-TTS-Overview.pdf

50.

Simpson

D. D.

Joe

G. W.

(2004). A longitudinal evaluation of treatment engagement and recovery stages. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 27, 89-97.

51.

Simpson

D. D.

Joe

G. W.

Greener

J. M.

Rowan-Szal

(2000). Modeling year 1 outcomes with treatment process and post-treatment social influences. Substance Use & Misuse, 35, 1911-1930.

52.

Simpson

D. D.

Joe

G. W.

Rowan-Szal

G. A.

Greener

J. M.

(1995). Client engagement and change during drug abuse treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse, 7, 117-134.

53.

Simpson

D. D.

Joe

G. W.

Rowan-Szal

G. A.

Greener

J. M.

(1997). Drug abuse treatment process components that improve retention. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 14, 565-572.

54.

Simpson

D. D.

Knight

(2004). Correctional treatment and the TCU treatment model. In Knight

Farabee

(Eds.), Treating addicted offenders: A continuum of effective practices (pp. 21-28). Kingston, NJ: Civic Research Institute.

55.

Simpson

D. D.

Knight

Dansereau

D. F.

(2004). Addiction treatment strategies for offenders. Journal of Community Corrections, 13(4), 7-10, 27-32.

56.

Smith

Strashny

(2016). Characteristics of criminal justice system referrals discharged from substance abuse treatment and facilities with specially designed criminal justice programs. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2321/ShortReport-2321.pdf

57.

Sowards

K. A.

O’Boyle

Weissman

(2006). Inspiring hope, envisioning alternatives: The importance of peer role models in a mandated treatment program for women. Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 6(4), 55-70.

58.

Stanton-Tindall

Garner

B. R.

Morey

J. T.

Leukefeld

Krietemeyer

Saum

C. A.

Oser

C. B.

(2007). Gender differences in treatment engagement among a sample of incarcerated substance abusers. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34, 1143-1156.

59.

Strauss

S. M.

Falkin

G. P.

(2001). The first week after drug treatment: The influence of treatment on drug use among women offenders. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 27, 241-264.

60.

Texas Christian University Criminal Justice-Client Evaluation of self and Treatment Assessment Fact Sheet. (2005). Texas Christian university assessment fact sheet. http://ibr.tcu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TCU-CJ-CEST-AFS.pdf

61.

Van Voorhis

Bauman

Brushett

. (2013). Revalidation of the women’s risk needs assessment: Probation results. Cincinnati, OH: University of Cincinnati.

62.

Welsh

B. C.

Rocque

(2014). When crime prevention harms: A review of systematic reviews. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 10, 245-266.

63.

Werch

C. E.

Owen

D. M.

(2002). Iatrogenic effects of alcohol and drug prevention programs. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 63, 581-590.

64.

Wexler

H. K.

Fletcher

B. W.

(2007). National criminal justice drug abuse treatment studies (CJ-DATS) overview. Prison Journal, 87, 9-24.

65.

Yang

Knight

Joe

G. W.

Rowan-Szal

Lehman

W. E. K.

Flynn

P. M.

(2013). The influence of client risks and treatment engagement on recidivism. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 52, 544-564.