The sheer number of offenders with substance abuse problems continues to be
a major concern for the criminal justice system. Screening and assessment
is the beginning of the substance abuse treatment process. Authors Robert A
. Shearer and Chris R. Carter discuss the importance of proper screening an
d assessment in creating effective treatment plans and in using scarce trea
tment resources wisely. They address such issues as using interviews versus
self-reports, screening instrument accuracy, screening offenders for psych
opathy, and readiness screening.