Relapse Prevention Essay

1476 Words6 Pages
The study of relapse prevention is import to the field of criminology due to the fact that the majority of offenders incarcerated have a substance abuse diagnosis. According to the research approximately 50% of offenders that are convicted of drug offenses will recidivate within two or three years (Meithe, Lu, & Reese, 2000). Additionally, how would requiring offenders to participate in relapse prevention post release from treatment impact the offender’s relapse and recidivating rates? Thus, this research study will observe the association between the treatment of drug offenders with relapse prevention and the impact relapse prevention has on the 50% recidivism rate of the drug offender population. According to Dowden, Antonowicz and Andrews…show more content…
According to Andrews and Bonta (2010) behavior therapy, and drug treatment is effective in producing changes in behavior, the issue is maintaining the changes after the treatment is completed. Andrews and Bonta (2010) stated that research has shown that typically drug offenders post substance abuse treatment relapse and return to their previous addictions within months. According to Dowden, Antonowicz and Andrews (2013) programs that are constructed in a means to incorporate relapse prevention focus on providing drug offenders with the skills that will allow them to identify high-risk situations, develop new coping skills, and allow them to build up self-worth in dealing with high risk situations. Relapse poses an essential obstacle to the maintenance of successful substance abuse treatment of drug addicted offender (Hendershot, Witkiewitz, George, & George, 2011). For instance, when studying twelve-month relapse rates Hendershot et al., (2011) stated that the typical relapse rate ranges from 80% to 95%. Furthermore, Hendershot et al., (2011) stated that evidence suggests similar relapse rates across various classes of substance use. Thus, relapse is considered to be very probable for an offender that has an addiction to any class of
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