Rehabilitation in the new machine? Exploring drug and alcohol use and variables related to success among DUI offenders under electronic monitoring - Some preliminary outcome results

When the "Western County" (Penn.) probation Department implemented a house arrest with electronic monitoring (EM) program in the fall of 1992, offende rs convicted under the commonwealth's mandatory driving under the influence (DUI) act were divided into two groups: One group went to jail and the oth er group served their sentence under house arrest with EM. Using descriptiv e and inferential statistics, this article examines differences in drug and alcohol consumption between the two groups and variables related to succes s for those in the EM program. With regard to drug and alcohol consumption, although differences did exist, they were not significant. However using c ross-tabulation tables and chi-squares, it was determined that two variable s-successful attendance at treatment and employment-were significantly rela ted to success while on EM. Such findings indicate the importance of both v ariables in the selection and supervision process.