This research examines the effect of therapeutic community (TC) on time to first re-arrest after release from prison. The comparison groups of primary interest in this research are male inmates assessed by corrections personnel as needing TC and who successfully completed the program, and inmates assessed as needing the program but who did not…

The therapeutic community (TC) is an increasingly utilized intervention model in corrections settings. Rarely do these TCs include faith-based curriculum other than that included in Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous programs as does the faith-based TC that serves as the basis for this article. Borrowing from the successful TC model, the…

Hybrid treatment models within prisons are staffed by both criminal justice and treatment professionals. Because these models may be indicative of future trends, examining the perceptions of prisoners/participants may provide important information. This study examines the perceptions of male and female inmates in three prisons, comparing those in…

Over the last four years, the Kentucky correctional system has expanded corrections-based modified therapeutic community treatment from 6 programs to 24 programs. To examine the effectiveness of these programs, the state initiated a systematic treatment outcome study known as the Criminal Justice Kentucky Treatment Outcome Study (CJKTOS). The…

An increasingly important treatment group is the expanding population of methamphetamine-using female offenders. This study focused on women methamphetamine-using offenders (n = 359) who were treated either in a modified therapeutic community (TC) program ("Clean Lifestyle is Freedom Forever" [CLIFF]-TC: n = 234) designed for non-violent offenders…

This paper examines outcomes 12 months post-prison release for offenders with co-occurring disorders (n = 185) randomly assigned to either a mental health control treatment (C) or a modified therapeutic community (E). Significant between-group differences were not found for mental health measures, although improvements were observed for each…

The primary purpose of this research is to illuminate three critical components related to the success of jail diversion programs. First, prior to diversion there is the need to identify those offenders most open to therapeutic services. Second, for those offenders diverted, there must be a proper match between the offender and the mental health…

This random assignment study compared women in a prison Therapeutic Community (TC) program with those in a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Over two thirds of study subjects received a lifetime diagnosis of severe mental disorder, nearly one-half received a diagnosis of PTSD, and virtually all reported exposure to trauma. Preliminary analysis (n…

Treatment outcomes 1 year after release from prison were compared for two subgroups of male inmates with co-occurring serious mental illness and chemical abuse (MICA) disorders, those with a diagnosis for Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD), and those without a diagnosis of APD. The foundation study had randomly assigned inmates to either…

Examined whether counselor-client similarity had influence on client's perception of treatment environment. Findings from 96 institutionalized female delinquents indicated the counselor-client similarity on personality dimension measuring sociability, character, responsibility, and intrapersonal values was significantly related to client's…

A sample of 84 male young offenders, admitted for inpatient treatment in a psychiatric hospital, was used to examine the relationship between leisure motivation, leisure satisfaction, and perceived freedom in leisure using the Leisure Motivation Scale (LMS), the Leisure Satisfaction Scale (LSS), and the Perceived Freedom in Leisure Scale-Short…

The current study assessed the effectiveness of a prison-based substance abuse treatment therapeutic community (TC) providing treatment to male inmates dually diagnosed with both substance abuse and mental health disorders. The findings show a short-term impact of the program on arrest after release, with program participants significantly less…

A major function of the helping professions is to promote quality of life (QOL) for all people. Since this concept is commonly embodied in ethics codes within the various human services, it can be easy for professionals to assume that clients share the same perceptions of our function. However, when working with offenders, this assumption, along…

This research addresses the question: Does the military atmosphere of a treatment-oriented boot camp lead to greater reductions in antisocial attitudes and cognitions than a standard correctional facility that is also treatment-oriented? A self-report measure of antisocial attitudes and cognitions was collected from 118 inmates randomly assigned…