Critical Issues - Co-Occurring Mental and Addictive Disorders
From: National Corrections Journal, 166611, March 1998
Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report
Substance Abuse and Treatment of Adults on Probation, 1995
By Christopher J. Mumola, BJS Policy Analyst
With assistance from Thomas P. Bonczar, BJS Statistician
Abstract:
In the first national survey of adults on probation, conducted in 1995, nearly 70% of probationers reported past drug use; 32% said they were using illegal drugs in the month before their offense; and 14% were on drugs when they committed their offense. More than 20% were on probation for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and 25% of other probationers said they had been drinking at the time of their offense.
When the survey was conducted, 17% of the probationers reported having participated in a drug treatment program while serving their current sentence; 32% said they had received treatment for alcohol abuse. Overall, 38% had received some treatment for substance abuse since beginning their probation.
These findings are based on personal interviews with a nationally representative sample of over 2,000 adult probationers under active supervision. These interviews followed an earlier study of administrative records of a larger sample of probationers. While the interviews addressed a broad range of issues, this report focuses on items dealing with probationers' histories of drug and alcohol use and treatment.
Highlights
Half of probationers were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the offense for which they were convicted
Offense type | Alcohol | Drugs* |
All probationers | 40% | 14% |
Non-DWI offenders | 25 | 16 |
Severity of offense | ||
Felony | 28% | 18% |
Misdemeanor | 58 | 8 |
Type of offense | ||
Violent | 41% | 11% |
Property | 19 | 10 |
Drug | 16 | 32 |
Public-order | 75 | 6 |
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