In-person vs. Computer Interventions to Increase Probation Compliance

描述(由申请人提供)：众所周知，刑事司法系统中的药物滥用治疗在减少药物使用和相关犯罪行为方面是有效的。尽管毒品和酒精治疗是刑事司法项目中常见的任务，但只有少数客户真正开始治疗。这个应用程序将比较两种干预模式，目标是在一组有药物或酒精治疗条件的缓刑人员中启动和从事药物滥用治疗的动机。两个缓刑地点(马里兰州巴尔的摩和得克萨斯州达拉斯)的600名毒品和酒精罪犯将随机接受：1)面对面的动机面谈(MI)，2)动机计算机程序(MC)，或3)摄取和照常监测(SAU)。MI条件将按照前景看好的体检格式构建，该格式由评估和以MI风格提供的个性化反馈组成；MC条件的内容将取自以前关于有效激励计算机程序的文献。此外，由于刑事司法人员的传染病发病率要高得多，而且药物使用与传染病之间存在联系，因此，MI和MC的条件将包括向符合条件的参与者转介艾滋病毒/艾滋病检测和治疗。这两种干预措施都将在试用期开始时提供，并在1个月、6个月和12个月进行后续评估。主要结果包括参与和参与药物滥用治疗；次要结果包括药物和酒精使用、缓刑进展、艾滋病毒检测和治疗以及犯罪行为。该项目将首次开发和测试两种干预措施，以鼓励刑事司法客户贯彻治疗建议，目的是增加治疗开始，减少随后的药物使用和相关的危险行为。它还有助于与两个大型缓刑机构--达拉斯县监督和惩戒部门以及马里兰州假释和缓刑部门--建立持续的伙伴关系。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): It is well established that substance abuse treatment in the criminal justice system is effective at reducing drug use and related criminal behavior. Although drug and alcohol treatment are common mandates in criminal justice programs, only a minority of clients actually initiate treatment. This application will compare two intervention formats that target motivation to initiate and engage in substance abuse treatment among a group of probationers who have drug or alcohol treatment conditions. Six hundred drug and alcohol offenders in two probation sites (Baltimore, Maryland, and Dallas, Texas) will be randomized to receive: 1) an in-person motivational interviewing session (MI), 2) a motivational computer program (MC), or 3) intake and monitoring supervision as usual (SAU). The MI condition will be structured along the lines of the promising Check-Up format, which consists of an assessment and personalized feedback delivered in an MI style; the content of the MC condition will be drawn from previous literature on effective motivational computer programs. In addition, because of the much higher rates of infectious disease among criminal justice populations and the link between drug use and infectious disease, the MI and MC conditions would include a referral to HIV/AIDS testing and treatment for those participants who qualify. Both interventions will be delivered at the start of the probation process, with follow-up assessments at one, six, and twelve months. Primary outcomes include engagement and participation in substance abuse treatment; secondary outcomes include drug and alcohol use, probation progress, HIV testing and treatment, and criminal behavior. This project will be the first to develop and test two interventions for encouraging criminal justice clients to follow through with treatment recommendations, with the goal of increasing treatment initiation and reducing subsequent drug use and related risky behavior. It also contributes to ongoing partnerships with two large probation agencies -- the Dallas County Supervision and Corrections Department and the Maryland Division of Parole and Probation.