Colorado Women's TC Project

The number and proportion of substance abusing women in prison have been increasing, creating a need for programs tailored to this population, and for evaluation of such programs. The specific aims of this project were: (1) to conduct a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of prison TC treatment for substance abusing women offenders; (2) to investigate the treatment process for the target population and to explore the relationship between the process and outcome of treatment; (3) to evaluate the cost and cost effectiveness of treatment; and (4) to assess issues in obtaining and making use of aftercare services and provide information regarding the additional contribution of aftercare treatment. The core investigation, over four years (n=600), randomly assigned female substance abusing offenders at the Denver Women's Correctional Facility to either a TC program, Recovery By Choice, the experimental (E) condition (n=300), or to a non-TC standard program, the comparison (C) condition (n=300). The study predicted better outcomes for the TC group in an intent-to-treat analysis of all study entrants. The Aim 4 supplementary study of aftercare, with no random assignment, followed program completers from E and C as they entered mandatory aftercare, choosing either TC aftercare or a non-TC treatment alternative. The research employed a prospective, longitudinal, repeated measures assessment with five points (baseline, 6-, 12-, and 18-months post-baseline) to assess standard outcome measures (e.g., drug use, crime, and employment), as well as specific measures of particular concern to female offenders (e.g., trauma and abuse). In addition to self-report data, urine toxicology and criminal record data were obtained. The study collected process data, guided by the Texas Christian University Treatment Process Model, The project contributes to a theoretical advance in our understanding of the process of treatment for women offenders in prison TCs. It advances research through a rigorous study of TC prison program effectiveness for women compared to another, routine treatment. It guides practice by delineating treatment elements for women and by examining the effectiveness of a TC program that organizes these elements. Finally, it integrates outcome and economic analysis to inform policy and planning about the effectiveness of the TC treatment under study. Perhaps most significantly, it tests TC principles and methods found effective for substance-abusing male offenders, which have been adapted for women, thereby increasing the potential utility of these strategies.