Indicators of rearrest among male court mandated substance use treatment patients
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-06-2015-0019 |
| Date | 14 March 2016 |
| Published date | 14 March 2016 |
| Pages | 4-14 |
| Author | Albert M. Kopak,Steven L. Proctor,Norman G. Hoffmann |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology |
Indicators of rearrest among male
court mandated substance use
treatment patients
Albert M. Kopak, Steven L. Proctor and Norman G. Hoffmann
Albert M. Kopak is based at the
Western Carolina University,
Cullowhee, North Carolina,
USA.
Steven L. Proctor is based
at G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery
VA Medical Center, Jackson,
Mississippi, USA.
Norman G. Hoffmann is based
at Evince Assessment,
Waynesville, North Carolina,
USA.
Abstract
Purpose –Effective substance use treatment is a viable way to reduce criminal justice contact among
drug-involved offenders, but there is still a lot to learn about which indicators have the greatest impact on
treatment outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to determine which clinical indicators influenced the
likelihood of rearrest among male drug-involved offenders.
Design/methodology/approach –This prospective longitudinal study examined indicators of 12-month
post-treatment rearrest for male criminal justice-involved substance use treatment patients. Multinomial
logistic regression results drawn from a sample of 1,531 adult male patients who were mandated to
substance use treatment indicated that there were different factors related to the likelihood of one as well as
multiple post-treatment arrests.
Findings –Demographic risk factors, such as age and unemployment, were associated with significant
increases in the probability of experiencing an arrest within 12-months of treatment discharge. Substance
use relapse was also a significant indicator of the likelihood of rearrest and contributed to an increase in the
odds of one post-treatment rearrest as well as multiple rearrests. A drug dependence diagnosis, relative to a
diagnosis for alcohol dependence, was associated with an increased likelihood of rearrest. Participation in
outpatient treatment was associated with a lower likelihood of rearrest.
Practical implications –These findings emphasize the need for treatment providers to concentrate heavily
on demographic risk reduction to minimize the chance that male patients are rearrested after treatment.
Relapse prevention, on the other hand, is critical in the effort to minimize the number of post-treatment
rearrests in this population.
Originality/value –The results from this study provide evidence to empirically support the refinement of
substance treatment programs for male patients involved in the criminal justice system.
Keywords Offenders, Outcomes, Recidivism, Crime prevention and reduction, Mental health/disorders,
Substance use treatment, Court mandated
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
A significant proportion of the population of substance users in the criminal justice system needs
treatment services. Estimates show that approximately 45 percent of those arrested met
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (American
Psychiatric Association (APA), 1994) criteria for substance abuse or dependence (Kubiak et al.,
2006). This translates into an estimated 1.47 million individuals who come into contact with the
criminal justice system who may be at-risk for alcohol or other drug dependence and may require
treatment services (Bhati and Roman, 2010). Of those arrestees who need treatment, upward of
20 percent reported having some substance use treatment in the past (Office of National Drug
Received 1 June 2015
Revised 16 July 2015
Accepted 30 July 2015
PAGE 4
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JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE
j
VOL. 2 NO. 1 2016, pp.4-14, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2056-3841 DOI 10.1108/JCRPP-06-2015-0019
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