The authors focus on one particular program which has several features that affect the operations of many treatment programs in criminal justice settings and bear directly on the quality of evaluations of those programs: (1) The movement of participants into and out of a program may be determined largely by the exigencies of the host institution; (2) Client data may be difficult to obtain and collate because record-keeping for research purposes is usually given very low priority or it never occurs; (3) Follow-up services are often unavailable or are not properly accessed to achieve continuity of care; and (4) Several agencies may be involved in program operations, which can result in different interpretations about clients and interventions and a lack of overall communication among treatment providers. The authors conclude that the war on drugs will never be won if most of its weapons are based on enforcement or punishment. They suggest that treatment must be used in order to break the cycle of drug dependence and crime. Footnotes, references