The justice system's legal sanctions reflect community concerns for public safety and punishment, whereas the treatment community emphasizes therapeutic relations as a means of changing individual behavior and reducing the personal suffering associated with substance abuse and other problems. Under TASC supervision, community-based treatment is made available to drug-dependent individuals who would otherwise burden the criminal justice system with their persistent and associated criminality. Program evaluation indicates that local TASC's effectively intervene with clients to reduce drug abuse and criminal activity, link the justice and treatment systems, and identify previously untreated drug-dependent offenders. Critical program elements and performance standards to guide TASC program implementation and operation are detailed. A glossary of TASC terms and a national TASC consortium directory are included. 19 references and 2 figures