Employment, Employment-Related Problems, and Drug Use at Drug Court Entry

Abstract

The literature indicates that employment may be an important factor for retaining substance misusing clients in treatment. Given the link between employment problems and treatment retention for Drug Court clients, the current project builds upon the existing services provided by Drug Courts in order to develop and implement an innovative model that focuses on obtaining, maintaining, and upgrading employment for Drug Court participants. The purpose of this article is to (1) describe the employment intervention used in Kentucky Drug Courts, which is grounded in established job readiness and life skill training approaches; and (2) profile those participants who were employed full-time prior to Drug Court and those who were not. Findings suggest that those employed full-time were more likely to have higher incomes and more earned income from legitimate job sources, although there were no differences in the types of employment (major jobs included food service and construction). In addition, study findings suggest that full-time employment was not “protective” since there were few differences in drug use and criminal activity by employment status. Employment interventions need to be examined to determine their utility for enhancing employment and keeping drug users in treatment. This article focuses on the initial 400 participants, who began entering the study in March, 2000.

• Employment
• Intervention
• Drug court
• Offenders
• “Protective factors”
• Treatment retention

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Carl Leukefeld

Carl Leukefeld, DSW, is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of Kentucky, and the Director of the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research. He has given numerous presentations and written articles focused on treatment, criminal justice, prevention, and AIDS. He has coedited and written 13 books and monographs and has over 50 published articles and chapters. He is an editor or consulting editor for four professional journals and has served as a consultant to several international and national organizations including the Council on Europe, World Health Organization, several European countries, U.S. Customs, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, National Institute of Justice, National Institute of Corrections, American Probation and Parole Association, as well as state and local agencies. He is a Kentucky Colonel and is the former Chief Health Services Officer, United Public Health Service.

Hope Smiley McDonald

Hope Smiley McDonald, M.A., is a doctoral candidate in Sociology at the University of Kentucky. She earned her master's degree in August 2003 from the University of Kentucky and her bachelor's degree in public policy from Duke University in 1998. Her current work at the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research focuses on studies related to drug courts, prisoner health service utilization, substance abuse, and substance abuse treatment. Previously, Ms. Smiley McDonald worked as a research analyst in the Health and Social Policy program at the Research Triangle Institute in Durham, North Carolina. Her interests include treatment for drug-involved offenders, juvenile delinquency, substance abuse policy, and prisoner reentry.

Michele Staton

Michele Staton, M.S.W., C.S.W., is a drug and alcohol project director at the Center on Drug and Alcohol Research. She obtained her M.S.W. in December 1998, and is currently working on her Ph.D. Ms. Staton is currently the study director for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded project investigating drug court retention through the implementation of an enhanced employment intervention component. Ms. Staton has published in the area of substance abuse and HIV risk behavior, women and substance abuse, prison-based treatment, health service use among incarcerated women, and employment among drug offenders. Her research interests include substance abuse among women, prison-based and substance abuse treatment, health service utilization, and spirituality.

Allison Mateyoke-Scrivner

Allison Mateyoke-Scrivner, B.A., graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology and a minor in Psychology in May of 1999 from the University of Kentucky. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in Criminal Justice from Eastern Kentucky University. Currently she is working as a Research Analyst for the Enhancing Drug Court, Health Services, Chrysalis and HIP Projects. Prior to this, she was a data coordinator senior for the Enhancing Drug Court Project.