Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison

About the Program

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

Year: 2014

In January 2011, Pima County, Arizona established the Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP) program designed to reduce drug addiction and related crime. Through this DTAP program, the Pima County Attorney and Pima County Superior Court offered a special sentencing alternative to non-violent, drug-addicted individuals who have committed multiple felony drug offenses, making them automatically prison-bound upon conviction. This sentencing alternative allows these individuals to avoid prison and instead go into residential drug treatment for 90 days, followed by transitional housing, and thereafter into independent living in the community, all while undergoing special probationary supervision with ongoing drug-monitoring and regular court appearances. While on probation, these individuals receive case management and wraparound recovery support services, including job training and job placement, transportation, education, counseling, relapse prevention, long-term management skills, peer support, mentoring, and life skills, among other services. Two independent cost-benefit studies have shown that the DTAP program costs less than half the cost of prison. It saved more than $1 million in taxpayer dollars during the first two years of its operation. Meanwhile, the DTAP program has had a success rate of approximately 70%. It is a proven solution for reducing crime, saving money, and saving lives.