Treatment alternatives to street crime - An evaluation of five programs

In response to the increasing numbers of criminal offenders involved with d rugs, the criminal justice system has sought more effective means of interv ening with these offenders. One intervention approach is Treatment Alternat ives to Street Crime (TASC), an offender management model that has been imp lemented in various forms since the early 1970s. TASC facilitates treatment for drug-using offenders as part of an overall strategy to control drug us e and associated criminal behaviors. This article reviews the evolution of TASC and reports findings from an evaluation of five TASC programs. The eva luation, experimental at two sites and quasiexperimental at three, found fa vorable effects of TASC programs on service delivery and offenders' drug us e. Findings on criminal recidivism were mixed and difficult to interpret. T his article concludes with specific recommendations for improving TASC and similar programs within the criminal justice system.