Evaluation of the multiple offender alcoholism project. Quasiexperimental evaluation strategy with a focus on individual change and quality of life

The development, implementation, and evaluation of a treatment program for violent criminal offenders with alcohol abuse/alcoholism is described. The treatment program was based on a contingency management system that rewarded program attendance and participation. The evaluation of the program, using quasiexperimental techniques (including comparisons with national samples and two independent local control samples), indicated that active program clients engaged in significantly fewer violent crimes and showed significantly improved life functioning ("quality of life") in areas of employment and social adjustment during participation in the program. These beneficial changes were correlated with program participation and were also predictive of desired social outcomes, as defined by the criminal justice system, such as reduced alcohol consumption and reduced violent crime. This presentation illustrates that the goals of mental health treatment programs and traditional criminal justice system agencies (and their associated definitions of "quality of life") are not necessarily incompatible.