Treating Substance Use Disorders in Offenders

This article describes treatment modalities used in incarcerated populations with substance abuse or dependence disorders, a group that comprises a substantial proportion of individuals in the U.S. prison system. Approaches to treating adult offenders are reviewed from a behavioral perspective. The theoretical development of substance abuse treatment from a time in which addicted offenders were often thought to be untreatable to current evidence that treatment can lead to several improved outcomes among substance using offenders is described. Through a comprehensive literature review, empirical evidence is examined for widely used behaviorally based programs designed to treat offenders with substance use disorders.