Amity In-Prison Therapeutic Community
Problems addressed
Effectiveness

Promising

.

.

.

.

.

Promising

Want to know more about this classification? Check out our methodological manual.

Life periods served
Where the program was applied
Country of application
Description

This is a voluntary intensive treatment program in a residential unit for men in conflict with the law who have a history of substance use problems in the last 9 to 12 months before their sentence. The aim is to prepare inmates for reentry into the community after serving their sentence. Treatment lasts 12 months and is carried out in three phases:
1) The first phase (two to three months) includes counseling, clinical assessment of the participants’ needs, and problematic areas in their lives;
2) The second phase (five to six months) requires greater responsibility and participation, involving group work dynamics on self-discipline, self-esteem, self-awareness, respect for authority, and acceptance of guidance;
3) The third phase (one to three months) involves accompanying the graduate in the initial period of returning to the community, strengthening their planning and decision-making skills.

Impact evaluations

An impact assessment showed that, 24 months after leaving the prison system, the treatment group that took part in the program had a lower rate of reincarceration (43.3%) compared to the control group without treatment (67.1%). However, these results were not maintained after 36 months. There was no significant relationship between the increase in the amount of treatment and the amount of time to reincarceration, and no effect on drug abuse either [1] [2] [3].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Wexler, H. K., Leon, G. de, Thomas, G., Kressel, D. & Peters, J. (1999). The Amity Prison TC Evaluation. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 26(2), 147–167. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093854899026002001

[2] Prendergast, M. L., Hall, E. A., Wexler, H. K., Melnick, G. & Cao, Y. (2004). Amity Prison-Based Therapeutic Community: 5-Year Outcomes. The Prison Journal, 84(1), 36–60. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885503262454

[3] Wexler, H. K., Melnick, G., Lowe, L., & Peters, J. (1999). Three-year reincarceration outcomes for Amity in-prison therapeutic community and aftercare in California. The Prison Journal, 79(3), 321-336.

Information source