In 2001 and 2003, the Policy Council published comprehensive outcome studies that evidenced 7% and 5% recidivism rates, respectively, for those inmates who completed the entire continuum of care.
The study* consisted of 7,869 offenders who entered an in-prison substance abuse TC program known as a Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFPF). Eighty percent (80%) of these offenders were Gateway program graduates. The forty-four percent (44%) who completed in-prison treatment, transitional community-based residential treatment, and outpatient treatment had a recidivism rate of 5%, a decrease from 7% recidivism from the study published in 2001.
Additionally, the recidivism rate for non-completers of the program was 30% – 32%, well below the national average of 51%. The study demonstrated that use of the Texas concept of in-prison treatment combined with community-based residential treatment and outpatient treatment resulted in lower recidivism rates and estimated savings of $60.5 million to the State of Texas. Based on these findings, a key goal must be to increase the percentage of inmates completing the full continuum. Enhanced re-entry techniques are a must if this is to be achieved.
A focus of all corrections programming is the provision of extensive case management and referrals to community agencies to continue programming upon release from the institution.
