writing a report on the affectiveness of substance abuse treatment in prison! Would like anyone to help thank you anna maria

When I got to San Quentin Prison last December the medical department at the

prison was suppose to prescribe Methadone to me to help me kick Heroin. I got
only 4 dose's when I was suppose to have 9. As far as Substance Abuse Programs they are far and in between. Oh sure they have drug classes, but it
is like N.A. a support group situation.

Have you searched for this information in your library's databases?

I attend narcotics anonymous meetings. I cannot tell you how many men and women have said that if it wasn't for the H&I Committee going into the prison to spread the word of recovery, they would have never heard there was a way to live w/out drugs. Many Many Many people say that! I'm grateful I found the rooms before I ended up killing myself, killing someone else, or ending up in prison. For many, that was their first taste of recovery because many prisons don't offer rehabilitation. Which really is a shame!

I haven't read it, but a professor where I work (Kevin Early at Uof MIchigan Dearborn) edited a book called Drug Treatment Behind Bars: Prison Based STrategies for Change. It has articles on different topics by different authors.

May i suggest you narrow down your research on a particular prison. Being there are diffrent types of programs in diffrent prisons. ie: max prisons. will probably have a limited amount of treatment . whereas a boot camp type of facility may offer lots of education / info and support groups.. If your question is "does it work">> well ultimately that depends on the indivual. I think the only real source of info comes from the self help groups such as na/aa into the prisons to get the message in.. there is hope... pm if you would like i have some info that you might use..


Peace
Donna

Anna Maria,
I found many articles pertaining to your subject on the InfoTrac database. If you don't have access to this at your school, I could e-mail some articles to you. Let me know exactly what sort of information you need. When is your report due?
Kahlan

writing a report on the affectiveness of substance abuse treatment in prison! Would like anyone to help thank you anna mariaHi,
As someone else suggested I would reccommend narrowing your search to a particular prison or state. For example, the state of Wisconsin has a large amound of drug offenders that require the AODA drug offender program. Experience with the state of Wisconsin has taught me that this program is relatively hard to come by, and when a person does get into the "program" it is limited at best. Buget cuts are a large determining factor in the type of programming available. All prison websites will tell you that they have excellent programs - in fact most prisons look great on paper, but what they say they have to offer and what they really do offer remain to be seen. I believe that there is a difference between state and federal facilities as well. The Federal Prison Camp in Yankton South Dakota has a very intense and very positve drug program. I only know of the program but not the success rate.

Hope I helped a little

My boyfriend sent me a letter about a month ago giving me great detail about the Substance Abuse Program he currently is in at CSP Solano in California. This is what it says -

For the first 8 weeks , will be what is called the "candidate phase" of the program. The program consists of several phases - each of which must be meticulously completed before moving on to the next topic. There is a lot of group discussion every day about deep issues and topics most addicts have in common. For instance the first paper I had to write was called " Why am I here ". The second one is a short autobiography of myself emphasizing the events of traumatic experainces that may have damaged me emotionally or whatever. Then more papers follow on topics of guilt, attitudes, blame, what is an addict, etc, etc. And every paper we write we have to stand before our group, read it aloud, and get feedback both good and bad from everyone in the group - then the group as a whole gives you a pass or a fail grade - then you can move on to the next paper.

They say thay 90 days is long enough to complete the program - I'll be in it for 6 months, so I am gonna take my time and work the program to the fullest extent. Since I am going to be in the program about twice as long as most are - I am having different thoughts about immediately entering a live-in program when I am released. They recommend it, but that would mean on my release day - they come pick me up and take me straight to a live-in facility, and I am not able to see anyone at all for 30-60 days. And the live-in programs are basically the same structure as the Center Point Program that I am working now. It would kind of be like going over the same topics and issues twice - once after another. I don't really feel a need for that so maybe a sober living house might be better for me.

This is all the information I really have in Substance Abuse Treatment. I hope it helps.

I can give you some information about the SAFPF program in Texas if you'd like. Let me know. PM me if you want.