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Focused Offender Disposition Program: Philosophy, Procedures, and Preliminary Findings

NCJ Number
140998
Journal
Journal of Drug Issues Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1993) Pages: 143- 160
Author(s)
D C McBride; J A Inciardi
Date Published
1993
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This report presents some preliminary findings on the Focused Offender Disposition (FOD) Program, initiated in 1988 in response to an increasing number of drug-involved offenders in the criminal justice system.
Abstract
The Offender Profile Index (OPI), an assessment classification system designed for the FOD Program to direct drug offenders into the most appropriate type of treatment program, was tested on 602 probation subjects in Birmingham, 423 probation subjects in Phoenix, and 397 probation subjects in Chicago. FOD self-reported drug use data generally were consistent with urinalysis results. Overall, the data show that OPI did identify and serve clients who used illegal drugs and that in Birmingham and Chicago considerable proportions self-reported the use of cocaine and were found to have cocaine in their urine samples. These data support the conclusion that the program succeeded in identifying drug- using offenders in need of treatment services. OPI yielded a total stake and drug severity numerical score that suggested four alternative interventions: long-term residential treatment, short-term residential treatment, outpatient treatment, and urine monitoring only. Overall, the data suggest that the Focused Offender Disposition Program proved successful in reaching its target numbers of drug-using offenders, identifying drug-using offenders with minimal treatment experience who were in need of services, and assessing drug-using offenders and referring them to substance abuse treatment services. 11 tables and 22 references