DOI: 10.3886/icpsr29201.v1
title: Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies (CJ-DATS): Inmate Pre-Release Assessment (IPASS), 2001 [United States]
title: Version 1

description: The UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP), in conjunction with Texas Christian University, the University of Kentucky, and Brown University, proposes to develop and test the Inmate Pre-Release Assessment (IPASS) as a method of (1) prioritizing aftercare treatment need among graduates of prison-based substance abuse treatment programs, and (2) specifying an appropriate level of care (residential, outpatient, or self-help groups). The IPASS was developed specifically as a post-release risk measure for prison-based substance abuse treatment graduates by taking into account the inmates' historical drug use and criminal activity, as well as his or her performance during the prison-based treatment program. IPASS forms were administered to inmates housed in 14 institutions in four states: California, Maryland, New Mexico, and Oregon. While the IPASS has demonstrated sound psychometric properties as a continuous measure of post-release risk and general treatment need for substance-abusing parolees (Farabee & Knight, 2001), its ability to predict relapse and recidivism risk has not been tested using a prospective design. Part 1 of this study is the main part which is based on the IPASS Intake Form (479) and is designed to provide a quick assessment of criminal risk based on pre-incarceration risk factors. The first part of this form focuses heavily on criminal history, with questions about arrest and incarceration history, revocation history, and age of first criminal activity. It also asks about education level achieved, marital status and happiness, and friends drug use. The next part on the IPASS Intake Form (479) is designed to provide a quick screen for pre-incarceration drug use severity. It is based on the first ten items of the TCU Drug Screen II with the items corresponding to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) classification criteria for Drug Dependence. And the last part of the IPASS Intake form begins by asking inmates if they want to enter a drug treatment program after leaving prison; and if so, which treatment modality is preferred. Inmates were asked to indicate how much they disagree or agree with nine items pertaining to their interactions with the treatment staff. These items include the treatment staff being easy to talk to, easy to understand, listening to you, organized and prepared, treating you with respect, helping you solve problems, supportive of your progress, helping you with your recovery, and happy with your progress. Part 2 of the study mainly focused on arrest information and the number of criminal activities. Part 3 of the study is based on the IPASS Continuing Care Referral Form (484) and begins by asking inmates if they want to enter a drug treatment program after leaving prison; and if so, which treatment modality is preferred. Part 4 of the study is based on the IPASS Continuing Care Admit/Discharge Form (481A) and provides information regarding the Admission and Discharge of the inmates. And finally, Part 5 of the study is completed by the inmates' primary counselor and begins by recording the number of "major" disciplinary acts an inmate committed prior to and during their time at the treatment program.
description: The IPASS will be administered to inmates within 90 days of their release, along with a trailer form on which the pre-release counselors will indicate how important it is for that inmate to receive aftercare and what level of care (i.e., residential, outpatient, or self-help) is indicated. Although the transitional counselor will oversee the administration of the IPASS, aftercare placements will be based on his or her existing practices. Using a "passive matching" procedure comparing IPASS-concordant and IPASS-discordant referrals, parolees will be compared with regard to aftercare show up rates and retention (based on clinic records), and 12-month re-arrest (based on official records).
description: Data were collected between May and July 2001, from 467 inmates who volunteered to participate in the study. They were from 4 different states (275 from California, 93 from Oregon, 58 from New Mexico, and 41 from Maryland). Although the sample was split fairly equally between males (n=55 percent) and females (n=45 percent), it was predominately Caucasian (44 percent) or African American (27 percent), with a median age of 36 years (ranging from 19 to 68). Half of the sample had been in treatment for nearly 8 months (223 days), and had been in prison for a little more than 13 months (415 days). Half of the sample also was within 2 months (55 days) of their expected parole date.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: IPASS Inmate Intake Data
DS2: IPASS Arrest Data
DS3: IPASS Referral Data
DS4: IPASS Continuing Care Data
DS5: IPASS Counselor Assessment Data
description: Inmates, ages 19 to 68, and their counselors in fourteen institutions in four states: California, Maryland, New Mexico, and Oregon. Smallest Geographic Unit: institution
description: mail questionnaire; mixed mode; paper and pencil interview (PAPI)Reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) overseeing research at each of the 11 research centers comprising the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) CJ-DATS network.Collaborating Research Centers include:
Brown University/Lifespan Hospitals
Texas Christian University, and
University of Kentucky.