Does drug abuse treatment work, English homework help

answer no more than 1 page double spaced

Directions: irst read a summary below of the issue for debate

“argued” your point of view, state your current position on the issue being discussed in the forum

In forming your opinions you should not feel confined to adopt one or the other of the positions presented. you may see important points on both sides of an issue and may construct for themselves a new and creative approach.

Topic:

Issue 3: Does Drug Abuse Treatment Work?

Much of the research on the effectiveness of drug treatment is inconclusive. Furthermore, researchers do not agree on how to best measure effectiveness. Determining the effectiveness of drug treatment is extremely important because the federal government and a number of state governments are now contemplating increasing the amount of funding allocated to drug treatment. Many experts in the drug field agree that much of the money that has been used to deal with problems related to drugs has not been spent wisely. To prevent further waste of taxpayer funds, it is essential to find out if drug treatment works before funding for it is increased.

Another concern related to this issue is that addicts who wish to receive treatment often face many barriers. One of the most serious barriers is the lack of available treatment facilities. Compounding the problem is the fact that many communities resist the idea of having a drug treatment center in their neighborhood, even though there is little research on the effects of treatment facilities on property values and neighborhood crime rates. Another barrier to treatment is cost, which, with the exception of self-help groups is high. Furthermore, some addicts avoid organized treatment altogether for fear that if they go for treatment, they will be identified as drug abusers by law enforcement agencies.

Many addicts in treatment are there because they are given a choice of entering either prison or treatment. Are people who are required to enter treatment likely to succeed more or less than people who enter treatment voluntarily? Early studies showed that treatment was more effective for voluntary clients. However, a study conducted by the U.S. federal government of 12,000 clients enrolled in 41 publicly funded treatment centers found that clients referred by the criminal justice system fared as well as if not better than voluntary clients in terms of reduced criminal activity and drug use.

Donna Lyons examines whether drug addicts should be sent to prison or to treatment in ”Conviction for Addiction,” State Legislatures (June 2002). In ”Report Sheds Light on Drug Abuse,” Counseling Today (January 2001), Jennifer Simmons discusses recommendations by the federal government to improve success rates fro drug treatment. Two articles that look at the effectiveness of methadone maintenance programs are ”Methadone Maintenance and HIV Prevention: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis,” by Gregory Zaric, Margaret Brandeau, and Paul Barnett, Management Science (August 2000) and ”Revisiting the Effectiveness of Methadone Treatment on Crime Reduction in the 1990’s,” by Aileen Rothbard et al., Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment (June 1999). A national poll by Peter Hart Research Associates found that more people support drug treatment over drug interdiction. See ”Survey Finds Public Support for Treatment Over Interdiction,” Alcoholism and drug Abuse Weekly (July 24, 2000).

What is your opinion?