Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment
In 2006 the National Institute on Drug Abuse released “The Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations,” posted at<www.nida.nih.gov/PODAT_CJ/principles/>. These are among the principles noted:
Drug addiction is a brain disease that affects behavior. | |||||
Recovery from drug addiction requires effective treatment, followed by management of the problem over time. | |||||
Treatment must last long enough to produce stable behavioral changes. | |||||
Assessment is the first step in treatment. | |||||
Tailoring services to fit the individual's needs is important for criminal-justice populations. | |||||
Drug use during treatment should be carefully monitored. | |||||
Treatment should target factors associated with criminal behavior. | |||||
Criminal-justice supervision should incorporate treatment planning for drug-abusing offenders, and treatment providers should be aware of correctional supervision requirements. | |||||
Continuity of care is essential for drug abusers re-entering the community. | |||||
A balance of rewards and sanctions encourages treatment participation. | |||||
Offenders with co-occurring drug abuse and mental health problems require an integrated treatment approach. | |||||
Medications are an important part of treatment for many drug-abusing offenders. | |||||
Treatment planning for drug-abusing offenders who are living in or re-entering the community should include strategies to prevent and treat serious, chronic medical conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, and tuberculosis. ▪ | |||||
