The Response of Drug Abuser Parolees to a Combination of Treatment and Intensive Supervision

Of237 male and female drug abuser parolees assigned to parole procedures enhanced by weekly drug abuse counseling and urine monitoring, 118 were considered successes and 119 were considered failures at the end of 1 year on the basis of whether they had received a major sanction during the year. Success and failure cases were distinguishable on the basis of both concurrent (while on parole) and past characteristics. Greater treatment retention and amount of time employed during parole and greater amount of time employed and less deviance displayed prior to the first (ever) episode of heavy drug use were the principal correlates of success. The correspondence generally found between intensity of supervision and amount of deviance detected, the variability of the impact of detected drug use on the determination of sanctions, and the relationship of parole outcome to gender are discussed.