Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume 28, Issue 3 , Pages 213-223, April 2005

Substance use disorder patients who are mandated to treatment: Characteristics, treatment process, and 1- and 5-year outcomes☆

  • John F. Kelly, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Box G-BH, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Tel.: +1 401 444 1830.
    • ,
  • John W. Finney, Ph.D.
    • ,
  • Rudolf Moos, Ph.D.

Center for Health Care Evaluation, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System and Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA

Received 31 May 2004; received in revised form 20 August 2004; accepted 29 October 2004.

Abstract 

A substantial number of patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) are mandated to treatment by the justice system. However, little is known about their characteristics and how they fare during treatment and in the longer term compared with nonmandated, justice-system-involved patients and patients not involved in the justice system. This prospective study (n = 2,095) examined differences in pretreatment characteristics, treatment perceptions and satisfaction, during-treatment changes, and 1- and 5-year outcomes among these three types of patients and tested whether differences in pretreatment characteristics or during-treatment changes could help explain posttreatment outcome similarities or differences. Mandated patients had a less severe clinical profile at treatment intake, yet this did not account for their observed similar/better outcomes, which appeared because of the similar therapeutic gains made during treatment. Treatment perceptions and satisfaction were also comparable across groups. These findings appear to support the idea that judicial mandates can provide an opportunity for offenders with SUDs to access and benefit from needed treatment.

Keywords: Substance abuse treatment, Substance use disorder treatment, Coercion, Mandated treatment, Criminal justice, Crime

To access this article, please choose from the options below

Login to an existing account or Register a new account.

  • Purchase this article for 31.50 USD (You must login/register to purchase this article)

    Online access for 24 hours. The PDF version can be downloaded as your permanent record.

  • Subscribe to this title

    Get unlimited online access to this article and all other articles in this title 24/7 for one year.

  • Claim access now

    For current subscribers with Society Membership or Account Number.

  • Visit SciVerse ScienceDirect to see if you have access via your institution.
 

☆ The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

PII: S0740-5472(05)00045-0

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2004.10.014

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume 28, Issue 3 , Pages 213-223, April 2005

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution