Criminogenic Addiction Recovery Academy

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2012

In the spring of 2010, Kennebec County partnered with local government jurisdictions to transform a portion of their correctional facility into a specialty unit treating incarcerated individuals with clear evidence of long-term substance abuse and criminal behavior. No similar program existed in the county correctional system in the State of Maine. The Criminogenic Addiction Recovery Academy (CARA) sought to cultivate a pro-social change within the offenders mind, body, and spirit by providing individualized learning, effective skill development, and collaborative transition planning to significantly reduce future anti-social substance abusing and criminal behavior. To date, one-hundred twenty-six people have completed the program through seventeen separate classes. The program is delivered over a five week period, with daily structured and facilitated groups consisting of individual activities supervised by professional staff and specially trained Corrections Officers. Participants are housed in a renovated section of the facility to provide a therapeutic setting.