Evaluation of New York City Drug Treatment Alternative-to-Prison (DTAP) Programs.

New York City's drug treatment programs for substance-abusing offenders have been operating for well over a decade. In 1990, the Kings (Brooklyn) County District Attorney initiated the City's first such program - Drug Treatment Alternative-to Prison (DTAP) - which targets repeat felony offenders. By 1993 three other New York City district attorneys' offices - Bronx, New York (Manhattan), and Queens - had implemented DTAP or DTAP-like programs for such offenders. The Richmond (Staten Island) District Attorney's DTAP program was implemented in 1999. These programs have evolved independently of each other. Thus, they differ somewhat with respect to program eligibility criteria, process, and structure. Empirical case-level studies of program effectiveness have been sporadic and not inclusive of all DTAP programs. In 2004, the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services undertook a retrospective study of DTAP programs in all five counties. The study's purpose is to broaden understanding of how organizational and procedural factors, as well as offender characteristics and criminal history, influenced the likelihood of diversion to treatment, treatment outcomes, and recidivism. Findings will be used to develop a risk-assessment instrument to help guide the identification of offenders suitable for diversion to DTAP programs. Highlights of study findings will be presented. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]