An Evaluation of California's Experiment With HOPE

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The phase I evaluation is intended to assess whether or not frequent drug testing and immediate short-term incarceration for drug use and/or other violations and mandated drug treatment for multiple violations, reduces the recurrence of drug use and/or other violation behaviors by California parolees assigned to the study group.

Detailed Description
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The California HOPE pilot program is being implemented under the authority granted in Penal Code 5058.1. The phase I evaluation is intended to assess whether or not frequent drug testing and immediate short-term incarceration for drug use and/or other violations and mandated drug treatment for multiple violations, reduces the recurrence of drug use and/or other violation behaviors by California parolees assigned to the study group compared with parole-as-usual.

Official Title
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Phase 1 Study of California's HOPE Experiment

Conditions
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Drugs of Abuse

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: HOPE supervision
* Behavioral: Parole-as-usual


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Assigned to the Sacramento Metro IV Parole Unit. Released from a term of return-to-custody for a violation for, or involving, the use of drugs. Have a maximum controlling discharge date at least one year from the date of release from the return-to-custody term. Exclusion Criteria: History of convictions for crimes that require registration under Penal Code Section 290.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: HOPE supervision<br>Parolee supervised under California's new HOPE parole model. | Behavioral: HOPE supervision<br>* HOPE entails a warning session (Orientation Hearing) where the rules of parole are laid out and parolees are told that any violation of stated parole conditions will be sanctioned with a brief jail term (typically a few days in jail). HOPE includes regular random drug testing.<br>* Other names: COPE;|
| Active Comparator: Parole-as-usual<br>Parolees supervised under California parole-as-usual. | Behavioral: Parole-as-usual<br>* Parolees are supervised under standard parole supervision practice in California.<br>* Other names: Routine parole;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Days incarcerated | Total number of days incarcerated in jail or prison | 24 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| % positive drug tests | Percentage of random and scheduled drug tests that test positive for illicit drugs | 24 months | 
| %Missed | Percentage of parole appointments that are missed. | 24 months | 
| Revocation rate | Percentage of parolees that are revoked from probation and returned to prison for either a technical violation or on a new charge. | 24 months | 
| New arrests | Number of new arrests. | 24 months | 
| Perceptions of risk of detection | Parolees perceived risk of detection for drug use | 24 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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drug use, drug arrests, incarceration