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Therapeutic Community Services: A Jail-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Program at Rikers Island

NCJ Number
178804
Journal
American Jails Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: July/August 1999 Pages: 25-30
Author(s)
John D. Burgess; Arthur J. Swanson; Bryan Fallon
Date Published
August 1999
Length
6 pages
Annotation
An innovative program is described that is designed to treat substance abuse and the associated factors of incarceration, domestic violence, comorbid illness, and at-risk youth in the New York City criminal justice system.
Abstract
The therapeutic community (TC) program offers treatment to four distinct inmate populations: (1) modified TC program for detained and sentenced inmates in the general population (324 beds); (2) modified TC program for detained and sentenced adolescents (158 beds); (3) family abuse correctional treatment, a modified TC for sentenced males with a history of domestic violence and substance abuse (116 beds); and (4) modified TC for detained inmates with mental illness and substance abuse. Because of the short lengths of stay in the program for detainees and many sentenced inmates, TC counselors and clinicians focus on offering each inmate a positive treatment experience, facilitating treatment readiness, and making referrals to appropriate outpatient and residential facilities upon the inmate's release from the program. Details on the program are provided that cover treatment philosophy and goals, staffing and training, scheduling, team formation, and discharge planning. 1 table and 5 photographs