The proposed research project uses an experimental design to examine the effectiveness of a systematic case management system on treatment approach on offender behavior (e.g., criminal behavior, substance abuse, and social adjustment) in two jurisdictions: Montgomery County, Maryland and Alexandria City, Virginia. The study takes advantage of an existing project funded by the Office of National Drug Control Police (ONDCP) and the National Institute of Justice. This experimental study aims to test the effectiveness of a seamless criminal justice and treatment system (the HIDTA intervention), as compared to traditional criminal justice processing, in reducing criminal justice behavior, reducing drug use, and improving social adjustment. The experimental research design consists of randomly assigning 200 offenders to treatment (HIDTA intervention) or 200 control (traditional criminal justice processing of face-to-face contacts, drug testing, and collateral contracts). Offenders will be blocked on risk factor to determine the impact of risk level on treatment and criminal justice outcomes. Using a longitudinal approach, the subjects status is measured at three intervals: 12 months, 24 months, and 36 months. Data from official records, including criminal justice, treatment and police files will be obtained. Planned analysis including descriptive and inferential statistical analysis, aimed at answering experimental and non-experimental research questions. The analysis will also measure the cost and benefits of the treatment and supervision using the Cost-Procedure, Process, Outcome Analysis (CPPOA) approach, and traditional health models. Cost-benefit and cost effectiveness models will be developed to assess the impact of the systems approach. Analysis will test for mean differences in incidence, time to failure, and cost as part of the experimental design. Non- experimental analysis, including survival analysis, will also be conducted to examine differential failure patterns controlling for offender characteristics. Study findings have both practical and research implications. They will provide practitioners and policy makers with information on a seamless system model. The proposed research will advance the scientific field by providing an experimental examination of a systematic approach on offender outcomes and cost- effectiveness and benefits of such an approach.
| Taxman, Faye S; Thanner, Meridith; Weisburd, David (2006) Risk, Need, And Responsivity (RNR): It All Depends. Crime Delinq 52:28-51 |
| Alemi, Farrokh; Taxman, Faye; Doyon, Victoria et al. (2004) Activity based costing of probation with and without substance abuse treatment: a case study. J Ment Health Policy Econ 7:51-7 |
| Thanner, Meridith H; Taxman, Faye S (2003) Responsivity: the value of providing intensive services to high-risk offenders. J Subst Abuse Treat 24:137-47 |
