Integration of Criminal Justice and Substance Abuse Agencies: Measurement Concepts

Analyses of the National Criminal Justice Treatment Practices Survey found that correctional programs that have higher scores on the integration of services for offenders in substance abuse programs had a greater probability of using more evidence based treatment practices. This relationship was studied using survey data from 430 corrections facility administrators, representing adult prisons (N=98), adult jails and community corrections agencies (N=191), juvenile secure residential facilities (N=49), and local juvenile jails and community corrections agencies (N=92), and 217 substance abuse treatment administrators, of which 122 were in county-level facilities and 95 represented prison-based programs. Survey respondents indicated whether they engaged in each of the activities with each of three other types of agencies (drug treatment, judicial, other correctional agency) potentially involved in offender drug treatment. The integration measure was designed as an additive scale with eleven items. Higher scores indicate more cross-agency activities and, therefore, greater degrees of cross-agency integration. Factor analysis confirmed the groupings into informal and formal levels. Approximately 37% of correctional administrators report no integration with substance abuse agencies, 35% report informal activities, and 28% report formal activities. Types of organizations that engage in integration activities will be addressed, as well as the adequacy of the integration measures. Discussions about practice implications of this research will be discussed.