Substance Abuse Treatment in United States Prisons: A Social Work Perspective

Abstract

A literature review was completed to explore the existing, scholarly articles concerning substance abuse treatment programs offered in different U.S. prisons. The theoretical perspectives that were applied in the treatment of inmates were analyzed, and recommendations were given about how to expand upon completed work with these individuals. Upon examination, it was discovered that the primary theories and models used in various types of substance abuse treatment are biopsychosocial, systems, and assets-based community development models. Strategies and interventions were also developed based on the knowledge presented in the articles, and implications for social work practice were considered in the process.

KEYWORDS:

• Substance abuse
• prisoners
• treatment
• social work
• biopsychosocial
• assets-based community development

Notes

This paper is supported by the work of various scholarly journals, particularly, The Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, to which the manuscript was later submitted.