Research Bulletin

              Vol. 2, No. 9 December 2003
Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
Research Bulletin
This study was the first
step toward learning
about the use of drug-related
services among
juvenile and adult
probationers.
The use of probationer alcohol
and substance abuse treatment
services in Illinois
By Arthur J. Lurigio, Ph.D., Loyola University Chicago and TASC
The purpose of this study was
to estimate the proportion of
juvenile and adult probation-ers
who received publicly funded
drug treatment services in Illinois at
some time during a period of five
fiscal years (from July 1, 1996 to
June 30, 2000). The study was
sponsored by the Illinois Office of
Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
(OASA) and was funded by the
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), under
the State Needs Assessment Program. Other OASA-sponsored
studies examined the prevalence of alcohol
and substance use, including
nicotine, within samples of juvenile
detainees and adult probationers.
They identified the need for alcohol
and drug treatment within these
samples. This study was designed
to collect data on offenders’ actual
use of OASA-funded alcohol and
drug treatment services in Illinois.
Methods
The study’s plan was formulated during several
discussions involving staff from OASA, which commis-sioned
and funded the project, and TASC, the lead
research agency on the project. The Illinois Criminal
Justice Information Authority provided data, re-sources,
and technical assistance to the project, and
the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC)
helped develop the study’s instrumentation and
allowed the project to piggyback on a statewide
assessment of probation outcomes.
Data sources
The first data source consisted of information gath-ered
during the 2000 Illinois Adult and Juvenile
Probation Outcome Study, conducted by the Authority
with the support of AOIC. The study involved state-wide
samples of all adult and juvenile probationers
discharged between Oct. 30, 2000 and Nov. 30, 2000.
Rod Blagojevich, Governor
Sheldon Sorosky, Chairman
Lori G. Levin, Executive Director
Research Bulletins are published periodically by the Illinois
Criminal Justice Information Authority. They focus on
research conducted by or for the Authority on a topic of
interest to Illinois criminal justice professionals and
policymakers.
For more information about this or other publications from
the Authority, please contact the Authority’s Criminal
Justice Information Clearinghouse at 312-793-8550, or visit
our website at www.icjia.state.il.us
Printed by authority of the State of Illinois, December 2003.