1212thth EFTC Congress on EFTC Congress on Rehabilitation & Drug PolicyRehabilitation & Drug Policy

2-5 June, 20092-5 June, 2009The Hague, NetherlandsThe Hague, Netherlands

The TC in the California Department of Corrections and The TC in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: A 20 Year Retrospective, Present Rehabilitation: A 20 Year Retrospective, Present Assessment & Lessons LearnedAssessment & Lessons Learned

Rod Mullen, President & CEO, Amity FoundationRod Mullen, President & CEO, Amity Foundation

This presentation is NOT on Mindfulness---that will be at 2pm today in Central America with Wilma Bakker

Several People have inquired about how to obtain the DVD shown Tuesday, “TC Pioneers”. We will show again today at 5:15 in South America along with another short film about women in a prison TC.

e-mail me, rmullen@amityfdn.org to obtain copies

Amity Foundation is dedicated to the inclusion and habilitation of people marginalized by addiction, trauma, criminality, incarceration, poverty, racism and violence.

Amity is committed to research, development, and implementation of information regarding community building

MISSION

Why Prison TCs?Why Prison TCs? Improved Institutional Management Cost benefit (recidivism reduction-and

much more) Public Safety (less crime of all types—including violent crime). Increased Employment (tax takers

become tax payers) Family reunification (break the cycle)

Why Prison TCs?Why Prison TCs?

Most serious, chronic addicts become involved in the criminal justice system.

Most serious, chronic addicts will not seek treatment “on the streets.”

BUT--most are incarcerated at some point, often multiple times---and can be accessed for treatment then.

Critical Path in U.S.Critical Path in U.S.

Wexler DVD

Characteristics of original Characteristics of original Amity TC Amity TC (paper available)(paper available)

TC model Ex-addict/ex-offender staff Space separate from general population Support from Corrections (top to

bottom) IntensityLifer mentors Parole from prison TC… Transition to Community TC operated

by Amity

200 man housing unit--R.J. 200 man housing unit--R.J. DonovanDonovan

Institutional ManagementIn a six month period, the average number of serious disciplinary write ups in a 200 person housing unit at R.J. Donovan was 53

In the Amity unit there were only 7

This is 87% lower

Amity Recidivism Amity Recidivism Reduction DataReduction Data

Comparisons of Inmates who did NOT participate show that 3/4ths of them were back in prison three years after release.But only about 1/4 of the Amity participants who completed the program were in prison.

From a study conducted byH.Wexler, Ph.D. 1998NDRI funded by NIDA

A Morning Meeting in the Trailers

Morning Meeting in the PrisonMorning Meeting in the Prison

An Encounter GroupAn Encounter Group

What Happened? What Happened?

Very Rapid Growth---from 400 beds in 1996 to 9,000 beds in 2002—dilution.

Loss of Support (Legislature, Institutions) Changes in the model—4 hour ‘day’

programs—loss of intensity. Problems with linkage to aftercare

When does success contain seeds of failure?

What Happened?What Happened? Inclusion of mentally ill & sex offenders Failure to fund adequately (quality of

staff) Loss of Collaborative “joint venture”

model—RFPs developed with no input. Attacks on TC providers as

“wasteful” Corrections Dept in disarray—no

consistent leadership

But—still the largest Tx initiative But—still the largest Tx initiative in corrections; and last year:in corrections; and last year:

23,000 male/female inmates received services in prison TCs

14,000 male/female parolees received services in the community

21.9% recidivism compared to 40% for no treatment comparison (females 9% vs. 30%)

TodayToday

California’s budget problems are enormous---massive cuts in government services must be made: schools, parks, welfare, health care for the indigent and elderly---AND treatment in corrections. So the entire initiative could be dismantled in the next month….

U.S.—punitive policies U.S.—punitive policies don’t paydon’t pay

1 in 100 persons in the US are locked up. $49 Billion spent on corrections in 2008.

1 in 31 under criminal justice supervision

1 in 9 for African American men between age 20-34—effects??

No clear evidence of a public safety benefit (crime reduction)

Billions spent on Billions spent on consequences of addictionconsequences of addiction

Only 1.9% on prevention & treatment!!

LessonLesson

Good TC Treatment is NOT expensive

No treatment IS expensive—for society, for the individual

And it’s not just about drugs---it’s about productivity, it’s about families, it’s about citizenship, and the values of a society…

Making a difference Making a difference for the community...for the community...

◆This…..◆ Is better than this!