A similar proportion expressed the same opinion about alcohol consumption. An important function of the Lifestyle Assessment Instrument is to determine the perceptions of new inmates regarding alcohol or drug use as a significant problem in their lives and their receptivity to substance-abuse treatment programs. Forty-three percent of the survey respondents had been involved in some type of treatment program for alcohol and drug problems at least once and most of these inmates had participated in a program on more than one occasion. Many offenders obviously made contact with a treatment program as a result of their conflict with the law. Thirty-two percent of drug users felt they could use help to stop or control their drug use.
Many offenders appear to have positive views about receiving treatment for substance-abuse problems.
Although the Lifestyle Assessment data very clearly show that many of the offenders in the sample used substances regularly and that many exhibited problem use, the offenders had a very positive outlook on the future.