Creative Solutions in Lean Budget Times National Rx Drug Abuse Summit 4-11-12

1. Creative Solutions in
Lean Budget Times
April 10-12, 2012
Walt Disney World Swan Resort

2. Accepted Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the successful Recovery Kentucky
program as a means to provide additional recovery
centers.
2. Describe the primary outcome of the Sheridan
Program – reduced recidivism – and how this
outcome is affected by intermediate program
outcomes such as completion of the therapeutic
community, admission and retention in community
treatment, and completion of case management
requirements.
3. Evaluate the cost of incarceration versus the cost of
providing treatment/recovery services.

3. Disclosure Statement
• All presenters for this session, Leslie
Balonick and Mike Townsend, have
disclosed no relevant, real or apparent
personal or professional financial
relationships.

4. Sheridan Correctional Center

5. The Impetus
Sheridan Correctional Center

6. The Illinois Story
• 27 adult Institutions
• Over 46,000 inmates
– 40% for drug law violations
• 54% recidivism rate
• 36,000 adults on parole
• Over half will return to prison within 3
years of release
• Over 80% returning to ten areas of
the state

7. The Plan
• Illinois Community Safety and Reentry
Commission convened in December
2004
• Subcommittees held public hearings &
reviewed national best practices and
model programs

8. GUIDING PRINCIPLES
• REDUCING RECIDIVISM WILL HELP
IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY
• RECIDIVISM IS COSTLY
• INMATES’ CHALLENGES ARE LONG-
STANDING AND EXTENSIVE
• JUST DOING TIME IS NOT ENOUGH
• LEARN FROM PAST SUCCESS

9. OVERARCHING PRINCIPLE
PRISONERS MUST PREPARE FOR REENTRY
SERVICES FROM DAY ONE AND
SUPPORTS THEY RECEIVE IN PRISON
MUST BE EXTENDED AFTER THEY LEAVE
PRISON!

10. Overview
Sheridan Correctional Center

11. Sheridan
• Opened January 2004
• Fully dedicated
substance abuse
treatment prison
– modified therapeutic
community
• 1,650 beds
– 400 reentry beds
• Education and
vocational training
• Aftercare & case
management upon
release

12. Sheridan Intake FLOW Outcomes
• All inmates given a drug screen at R&C
• If qualify, can voluntarily go to Sheridan • Lower Recidivism
• Employment
• Community Engagement
In Prison
• Integrated Assessment/Plan
• Substance Abuse Treatment
• Job Readiness
• Vocational and Educational Training
Community
Integration
Reentry Planning Home • CSAC
• Integrated Staffings
• Parole & TASC
• Integrated Tx and Reentry plan
• Job Search
• 120, 60, 45 and 30 day staffings
• Ongoing Treatment
• Inner Circle
• Job Search
• Job preparedness class
• Aftercare Recommendation

13. Who is eligible?
• Diagnosed as in- need
of substance abuse
treatment
• Volunteers
• 9 -36 months left to
serve in prison
• Are eligible for medium
security
– No current, prior murder,
sex offense convictions
• No untreated severe
mental illness

14. Stakeholders
• Client
• Illinois Department of Corrections
• Educational and Vocational Units
• WestCare Foundation
• TASC
• Safer Foundation
• Placement Resource Unit
• Parole
• Community Treatment Providers
• Community Support Advisory Council
(CSAC)

15. Client Demographics
Olson, D.E. & Rozhon, J. (2011). A process and impact evaluation of the Sheridan Correctional Center therapeutic
community program during fiscal years 2004 through 2010.Chicago, IL: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.

16. Substances of Abuse

17. Sheridan Clients in Group

18. Orientation with WestCare Director
Stan Brooks

19. Clients participate in
15 hours of group
per week.
– CBT

20. Outcomes
Sheridan Correctional Center

21. Lower Recidivism
• Likelihood of re-incarceration for Sheridan
graduates who complete aftercare is 44%
lower than statistically similar comparison
group
• 16% overall lower likelihood of being re-
incarcerated than comparison group
• Sheridan graduates that did not complete
aftercare had a higher likelihood (30
percent) of a return to prison.
Olson, D.E. & Rozhon, J. (2011). A process and impact evaluation of the Sheridan Correctional Center
therapeutic community program during fiscal years 2004 through 2010.Chicago, IL: Illinois
Criminal Justice Information Authority.

22. Improved Psychological & Social
Functioning
Olson, D.E. & Rozhon, J. (2011). A process and impact evaluation of the Sheridan Correctional Center
therapeutic community program during fiscal years 2004 through 2010.Chicago, IL: Illinois Criminal
Justice Information Authority.

23. Employment
– 55% of clients released had a
job start
• 2,533 overall job starts
– 57% of clients obtained a job
start within 60 days from release
– Average wage: $8.82
• Range: $8.55 - $10.09
– Employer sectors
• Manufacturing/Warehousing (30%)
• Construction (16%)
• Customer Service (16%)
• Hospitality (11%)
Olson, D. E., Rozhon, J., & Powers, M. (2009). Enhancing prisoner reentry through access to prison-
based and post-incarceration aftercare treatment: experiences from the Illinois Sheridan
Correctional Center therapeutic community. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 5(3), 299-321.

24. Client Comments:
Sheridan different from traditional
prison
“Everybody was understanding, there was a big
brother thing going on.”
“It was more like getting a second chance. More than
sitting in a cell and watching TV. [I was able to] find
out the cause of what gets me going out using
drugs, drinking.”

25. Client Comments:
Sheridan and Success
“Prepared me to live, to be a man. Prepared me to
live life on life's terms. Gave me hope. Coming from
where I came from that was really unique.”
“Got me mentally ready; knowing what to expect
when I go back to the world; gave hope, life.”
“Teach you about patience, understanding, respect,
respect for others, how to think clearly without
being on drugs. You need responsibility in
situations.”

26. Cost of Incarceration versus Treatment
Sheridan Correctional Center

27. Treatment Saves
• Each dollar spent on treatment saves between $4 and $7 in
reduced drug related crime and subsequent costs to the
criminal justice system.
(Mears, D.P, Winterfield, L., Hunsaker, J., Moore, G.E., and White, R.M. (2003). Drug treatment in the criminal justice system:
The current state of knowledge. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute.)
• Providing returning offenders with the services and resources
they need reduces their chances of re-incarceration. Benefits of
services after reentry include reduced incarceration costs,
welfare payments, and medical costs, as well as increased tax
revenue.
(Cohen, 2001), increased public safety, and less victimization to the community (Fretz, Helivbrun, & Brown, 2005).

28. Cost of Incarceration v. Treatment:
Need to look at the long term
• IDOC annual average cost per inmate-
$22,043
– With 50% recidivism rate adding to original investments.
• Sheridan annual average cost per inmate-
$34,733
– With lower likelihood of recidivating
– Includes all post-release costs (i.e. aftercare and case
management)

29. Additional Cost Savings
Earned Good Conduct Credit
From SFY 2005-2010:
– a savings of 714 years of incarceration , which equates to $16.7
million, or $2.78 million per year, in reduced incarceration costs
(Olson, D.E. & Rozhon, J. (2011). A process and impact evaluation of the Sheridan Correctional Center
therapeutic community program during fiscal years 2004 through 2010. Chicago, IL: Illinois Criminal
Justice Information Authority.)

30. Contact Information
Leslie Balonick- Senior Vice President
Leslie.balonick@westcare.com
Stanley Brooks- Program Director
Stanley.brooks@westcare.com