SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT

What is substance abuse treatment in the federal

probation and pretrial services system?

Substance abuse treatment is a tool that helps U.S.

probation and pretrial services officers supervise, or

monitor, defendants and offenders in the community. This

treatment, which includes urine testing and services such

as counseling and detoxification, is provided to persons

who abuse illegal drugs, prescription drugs, or alcohol. 

These individuals either are on probation, on parole, on

supervised release after being in prison, or under pretrial

supervision while awaiting a court appearance. Treatment

is ordered either by the U.S. district court or by the U.S.

Parole Commission as a condition of releasing these

persons to the community. 

How does substance abuse treatment help officers carry

out their supervision responsibilities?

Treatment gives officers the means to directly address

individuals’ alcohol or drug abuse. For offenders under

post-conviction supervision, treatment helps officers

enforce the conditions set by the court or Parole

Commission, control the danger defendants and offenders

may pose to society, and promote law-abiding behavior. 

For defendants under pretrial supervision, treatment helps

officers reasonably assure that these persons appear in

court and that society is protected from harm. The

Substance Abuse Treatment Program provides the

framework for supervising persons with drug problems. 

What is the Substance Abuse Treatment Program? 

Administered by the Administrative Office of the U.S.

Courts since 1979, the Substance Abuse Treatment

Program (SATP) is a national program that guides U.S.

probation and pretrial services officers in identifying and

treating the substance abusers under their supervision. 

The program’s goal–to promote abstinence from drugs--is

achieved through close supervision, drug testing, and

appropriate treatment. The SATP enables officers, some

of whom are substance abuse specialists, to supervise

substance-abusing defendants and offenders in the

community and to ensure public safety while doing so. 

 

What are substance abuse specialists, and what do they

do?

In 1983, the U.S. probation and pretrial services system

created specialist positions to provide intensive

supervision to substance abusers. This step allowed

districts to set up specialized caseloads to meet the

demands these particular cases generate. Specialists are

senior officers whose job is to oversee and manage the

SATP in their offices. They oversee contract treatment

services to ensure that contractors deliver the services

required. They may supervise a caseload or may just

monitor contracts. They serve as experts in confronting

substance abuse and intervening to provide appropriate

correctional treatment, training and directing their fellow

officers in substance abuse matters. 

How do officers identify substance abusers?

There are several ways. Defendants or offenders may

simply tell their officers that they have a substance abuse

problem. Repeat offenders may have been identified

previously as drug users. Or, officers, who are trained to

look for the physical and behavioral signs of substance

abuse, may determine that a person has a problem. 

Officers may identify these persons through information in

records and reports (including information from state and

local law enforcement agencies), interviews with the

individuals and their families, or drug testing. Also, many

officers use formal evaluations and testing methods to

screen for substance abuse. One important consideration

in identifying substance abusers is whether they also

suffer from mental health problems. These are “dual

diagnosis” cases and require officers to develop

supervision plans that address both problems. 

How many individuals are receiving substance abuse

treatment?

As of September 30, 2002, almost 44,000 persons under

the supervision of U.S. probation and pretrial services

officers were receiving substance abuse treatment. This

was almost 33 percent of the total number of postsentence cases and almost 31 percent of the pretrial

cases. 
How is substance abuse detected?

Officers use breathalyzers to test for alcohol. They use

urinalysis to test for drugs. Urinalysis can be ordered by

the court or the U.S. Parole Commission. Officers also

may use it periodically when an individual’s behavior

indicates that he or she may be using drugs. Testing

usually is unscheduled or random. The person has less

than 24 hours’ notice that a specimen will be collected. 

Urinalysis is a useful tool to deter the recreational drug

user as well as the long-time drug user. 

How is drug testing accomplished?

The Administrative Office contracts with a national

laboratory to test urine specimens for the presence of

drugs or their metabolites. The laboratory routinely tests

for five major categories of drugs: opiates, cocaine,

amphetamines, phencyclidine, and marijuana. Under the

contract, the laboratory also provides specimen collection

supplies to the probation and pretrial services offices,

performs tests to confirm positive results, and furnishes

expert testimony or affidavits if necessary for court

proceedings. 

How often are persons under supervision required to

submit specimens and undergo treatment? 

Requirements vary, depending on the individual’s

compliance with supervision conditions. National policy

established a “phase” system, which sets minimum

standards for the number of specimens and counseling

sessions required monthly. If specimens are negative and

counseling sessions go well, the number of urine

collections and sessions required decreases over time. 

The phase process, with its gradually decreasing

requirements, takes about a year to complete. 

Do officers use other methods to check for drug use?

Yes. Some probation and pretrial services officers have

on-site urine testing equipment. Some use hand-held drug

testing kits. Some have adopted the sweat patch, which

is a bandaid-like device that tests perspiration for the

presence of drugs. In addition to mechanical methods to

detect drug use, officers rely on observing defendants

and offenders at work, at school, and in the community. 

For instance, during home visits, officers look for alcohol,

drug contraband, and other evidence of substance

abuse. 

Who provides treatment?

Treatment is provided sometimes directly by officers but

most often comes either from community programs that

provide services at no cost to the federal government or

from treatment providers who are under contract to the

United States courts. The Director of the Administrative

Office, under 18 U.S.C. § 3672, has the authority to

“contract with any appropriate public or private agency or

person for the detection of and care in the community of

an offender who is an alcohol-dependent person, an

addict, or a drug-dependent person. . . . “ Approximately 

2,400 contractors nationwide currently provide substance

abuse services. Contracts are awarded through a

competitive process. The specialist serves as coordinator

of treatment services, matching the defendant or offender

with appropriate treatment providers, monitoring the

person’s progress in and compliance with treatment,

controlling treatment and testing funds, and overseeing the

various treatment providers. 

What services do substance abuse contractors provide?

No single treatment approach will help every person. To be

able to address defendants’ and offenders’ individual

needs, officers require access to various types of

treatment. Contractors may provide a full range of

services, including

TIntake assessments

TIndividual, group, family, and intensive

outpatient counseling

TDetoxification or antagonistic treatment

TPhysical examinations

TPsychological/psychiatric work-ups

TPsychotherapy

TSpecimen collection

TSubstance abuse prevention and relapse

prevention programs

TVocational testing, training, and placement

TMethadone maintenance and methadone

detoxification

TTransportation

What are the benefits of treatment?

Ideally, treatment makes a drug- or alcohol-abusing

defendant or offender better able to function in the

community. It can motivate individuals to abstain from

drugs or alcohol and teach them to cope without using

these substances. It can influence a person to become a

productive member of society rather than a drain on

community resources. Treatment provides a way for

officers to monitor and control defendants’ and offenders’

behavior. It therefore helps officers protect the public and

reduce the risk that substance-abusing individuals will

commit future crime--for instance, that they will resort to

robbery or assault to support their drug use. 

What if substance abuse continues despite treatment? 

Revoking supervision may be in order. While officers

should try any viable treatment approaches before initiating

revocation, substance abusers must face the

consequences of their actions. If these individuals

continue to submit positive specimens, fail to give

specimens (“stall”), give adulterated specimens, or

otherwise fail to comply with court-ordered treatment,

officers report such noncompliance to the court.

Office of Probation and Pretrial Services 

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

 January 2003