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Abstract: 

Without drug treatment, the cyclical movement of criminals between society and the criminal justice system is likely to persist. With effective drug treatment, many involved in drug related crimes may be able to avoid further crime after they are released. Two-thirds of jail inmates are dependent on, or abuse, alcohol or drugs, and many of these could benefit from treatment while in jail. However, because sentences are often short, many jails do not offer drug treatment. In response to this dilemma, the Utah County Division of Substance Abuse and the Utah County Jail developed the On-Unit Treatment (OUT) program, an intensive 30-day drug treatment program designed for short-term jail inmates. The purpose of this article is to describe the program briefly and report an initial evaluation of it.

Keywords: reentry; drug abuse

Affiliations:  1: Brigham Young University; 2: Dixie State College; 3: Veterans Administration Healthcare System, Salt Lake City, UT; 4: Brigham Young University.