Suchergebnisse

The driving records of methadone maintenance patients are examined for two main interrelated reasons: first, methadone maintenance is growing in use as a treatment modality for heroin addicts and acceptance of such patients into the mainstream of life is partially dependent upon the public's awareness of their ability to function normally and safely while medicated; and second, a key factor in employability, and hence, continuing rehabilitative improvement for many such patients, lies in obtaining a driver's license and automobile insurance. More than 1,500 patients admitted to the methadone maintenance program initiated by Drs. Dole and Nyswander were matched against the 11 million records in the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles files. The search, on an exact match basis, produced 448 patients with driving records. A sample of New York City regular male drivers in the same period (182 cases) was also drawn for comparison purposes. When a comparison was made within specific age groups, it was learned that the accident and conviction rates were about the same for methadone maintenance clients as for a sample of New York City male drivers within the same period. In addition, the clients' accident and conviction records were no more serious than the sample of regular drivers. The findings from this study are consistent with those from other related studies, which are discussed. This suggests that methadone maintenance clients should at least be given serious consideration in their efforts to obtain a driver's license or automobile insurance as they strive to support themselves.

Abstract This study assesses the relative impact of different lengths of imprisonment upon parole outcome, for narcotic law violotors, while holding other factors constant. Three alternative procedures for measuring association (r, ø and rt) were each used in parallel base expectancy analyses on the same data base. The study group consists of 929 narcotic law violators who were paroled in 50 jurisdictions. Parole performance ws derived after a twe‐year follow‐up period The 1968 parolees were used to develop offender risk ratings. These ratings were applied to 1969 parolees to determine whether they would be associated with parole outcome in a new sample. The three methods worked about the same for developing offender risk ratings. Once personal characteristics of offenders were taken into considemtion, the number of months served had no consistent relationship to parole outcome. This remained true for all three parallel techniques used.