Previous research has documented the prevalence of drug dependence among incarcerated offenders both in the United States and abroad. Without effective drug treatment, it is likely that these offenders will persist in crime. Incarceration represents a unique time to mandate drug treatment to individuals who would otherwise not seek treatment. As such, it is imperative that the treatment offered to offenders is effective at both treating drug dependence and reducing criminal recidivism. This paper presents the systematic review protocol for a review of the relevant literature on experimental and quasi-experimental incarceration-based drug treatment programs for adults and juveniles that include a comparison group. The report details the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the review, such as the requirement of a control group, and describes the search strategy that will be employed, which includes a computerized keyword search of bibliographic databases. The details of the coding categories are described, as are the statistical procedures and conventions that will be used in the analysis of the studies. The authors anticipate the review search to be completed by December 2005, with the analysis complete by February 2006. Tables, references, and appendixes