Vol.22 No.2 - Study Finds - Drug Treatment It Works

Sep 29, 2026

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Newsletter-style issue summarizing U.S. drug policy discussions and reporting on research claiming that treatment reduces repeated drug use and drug-related crime. Covers the Department of Health and Human Services report to Congress, comments during Senate confirmation and related hearings, and outlines promising therapies such as buprenorphine, clonidine, and psychosocial support. Includes additional sections previewing media relations, AIDS releases, lawsuits, sentencing alternatives, and court updates with brief headlines.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Study Finds

Treatment Effective Against Repeated Drug Use and Related Crime

Other Promising Developments

Why Corrections Officials Need to Develop On-Going Dialogue With the Media

Media Relations (continued)

In This Issue

Drug Treatment It Works, Study Finds

Media Relations: Why Dialogue Is Needed

AIDS: Compassionate Releases Urged

Sentencing Commission: Looking At Alternatives

Philadelphia, Georgia, Texas, Illinois, Graterford, Leprosy Center

Inside Journal: Excellent Newspaper Launched

Vol.22 No.2 # Study Finds ## TREATMENT EFFECTIVE AGAINSTREPEATED DRUG USEAND RELATED CRIME As a debate wages over the best way to ridthe country of drugs,a government report saidresearch shows drug treatment has proven effectiveagainst repeated use and drug-related crime. The Department of Health and HumanServices(HHS)report to Congress comes asformer Florida Gov.Bob Martinez prepares forSenate confirmation hearings as the next director ofthe Office of National Drug Control Policy(ONDCP). Critics of the nation's current drug policyhave argued that former ONDCP Director WilliamBennett placed too much emphasis on jailing drugusers,rather than treating them. At a Senate Labor and Human ResourcesCommittee hearing Jan.15,Chairman EdwardKennedy(D-Mass.)called Bennett's style too"prosecutorial"and promised to thoroughly exploreMartinez'intended emphasis at confirmation hear-ings. The government's triennial report toCongress,Drug Abuse and Drug Abuse Research,released Jan.16,called drug abuse a "chronic January 23,1991 Page 1 IN THIS ISSUE- DRUG TREATMENT It Works,Study Finds.………1MEDIA RELATIONS:Why Dialogue Is Needed………1AIDS:Compassionate Releases Urged…………4AJA:Sued By Ex-Employe……… ……………5SENTENCING COMMISSION: Looking At Alternatives…… … … …5PHILDELPHIA:Warden's Son Killed…… ………5GEORGIA:Jail Backlog Drop……… …………5IN THE COURTS……… …… …………6TEXAS:Settlement Reached In Inmate's Death……7NORIEGA:Going To Court Is Costly… …………7ILLINOIS:Smoker Chooses Hard Time.……… ……8GRATERFORD:Can It Handle Paralyzed inmate?……9LEPROSY CENTER:Will House Prisoners…………9INSIDE JOURNAL:Excellent Newspaper Launched.10 Reflections: # WHY CORRECTIONS OFFICIALSNEED TO DEVELOP ON-GOINGDIALOGUE WTTH THE MEDIA By John H.HalePublic Information OfficerAlabama Department of Corrections A recent opportunity to address the annualmeeting of The Society of Professional Journalistson media coverage of prisons taught me a lot aboutsome of the things we're doing right in Alabama.Overwhelmed by the stature of the otherpanelists-a Pulitzer prize winning reporter for the (See MEDIA RELATIONS,page two) (DRUG TREATMENT,coninued from page one) disorder,"in which recurrences are common andrepeated periods of treatment are frequently re-quired.It said research shows promising develop-ments in the drug treatment arena. "By virtually every criterion used,there isgood evidence that drug abuse significantly de-creases following treatment,"the report said."Other destructive personal and social effects ofdrug abuse,such as drug-related crime,suicidalbehavior,psychiatric problems,incarceration andunemployment,are also reduced." The report did not spark any optimismfrom Rep.Charles Rangel(D-N.Y.),chairman ofthe House Select Committee on Narcotics Abuseand Control. "The real war on drugs is not being fought,regardless of what anybody or any study says,"Rangel said,noting drug-ravaged urban communi-ties."A report recently prepared for the committeeby the GAO(Government Accounting Office)indicates that there are significant gaps in ourknowledge about drug treatment,so I really do notsee where we can say that we are making suchgreat strides." The HHS report cited two new drugsshowing promise in treating drug users: ●Buprenorphine,a pain killer combiningmethadone-like effects with the ability toblock the effects of additional opioids(manufactured drugs,such as Demerol andDarvon,resembling opiates). ● Clonidine,a drug used for controlling bloodpressure,that has the potential for detoxify-ing opioid addicts and rendering anotherdrug,Naltrexone,more therapeutically effec-tive. ## Other Promising Developments The report also pointed to other promisingdevelopments for treating drug users,including psychiat-ric therapy and providing social,vocational and job-seeking skills to patients. January 23,1991 "One method of improving treatment,"thereport said,"may be psychological assessment of drugabuse clients to permit more m

FAQs

What does the report to Congress claim about drug treatment outcomes?

It states that drug abuse significantly decreases following treatment and that related harmful effects, including drug-related crime and other social and personal consequences, are also reduced.

Why is the drug policy debate ongoing in the issue?

Critics argue current policy overemphasizes jailing rather than treating drug users, and the issue references testimony and comments during Senate-related confirmation and committee hearings.

Which specific treatments are highlighted as promising for drug users?

The issue names buprenorphine and clonidine, and also mentions psychiatric therapy and social/vocational/job-seeking skills as additional supportive approaches.

Sep 29, 2026

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