Different Substance Abusing Offenders Require a Unique Program

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Abstract
This study aimed at determining if alcohol, drug, or combined alcohol and drug abusing offenders differed in their characteristics from each other and from other non-substance abusing offenders, with the eventual goal of suggesting treatment strategies for these offenders. Offenders were classified into four groups: alcohol abusers, drug abusers, combined alcohol and drug abusers, and non-alcohol/non-drug abusers. Measurements used were the Level of Supervision Inventory (LSI) (Andrews, 1983) and Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) (Hare, 1985a, 1985b). Results supported previous findings regarding the prevalence of substance abuse problems among incarcerated offenders. The combined alcohol/drug abusing offenders had the highest scores among the groups on all items and total score of the LSI; the majority of items, total score, Factors I and 2 of the PCL-R. They were followed by drug abusers, alcoholics, the non-alcohol/non-drug abusing offenders. Implications for treatment programming for substance-abusing offenders are discussed.