An Evaluation of the NJSPB SCF Project for Opioid-Involved High-Risk Parolees

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study entails an evaluation of the New Jersey State Parole Board Swift, Certain, and Fair (SCF) Supervision Program. The purpose of the evaluation is to test whether subjects assigned to SCF Supervision perform better than those assigned to parole-as-usual (PAU).

Detailed Description
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The Swift, Certain, and Fair (SCF) Supervision Program - Including Project HOPE Program provides funding to states, units of local government, territories, and federally recognized Indian tribes (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior) in an effort to enhance public safety, foster collaboration, and to improve the outcomes of individuals under the supervision of community corrections. The goals of this program are to develop and enhance SCF initiatives and implement the SCF model with fidelity, resulting in reduced recidivism and better outcomes for program participants. SCF approaches are intended to: (a) improve supervision strategies that reduce recidivism; (b) promote and increase collaboration among agencies and officials who work in community corrections and related fields to enhance swift and certain sanctions; (c) enhance the offenders' perception that the supervision decisions are fair, consistently applied, and consequences are transparent; and (d) improve the outcomes of individuals participating in these initiatives. The grantee will use awarded grant funds to support programming that provides services to up to 75 opioid involved parolees with services to divert them from a return to prison and manage underlying addictions with a combination of behavioral therapy and medication assisted treatments. The program combines sanctions with targeted reentry and treatment services.

Official Title
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An Evaluation of the New Jersey State Parole Board Swift, Certain, and Fair Project for Opioid-Involved High-Risk Parolees

Conditions
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Substance Abuse, Criminal Behavior

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: SCF Supervision
* Behavioral: Parole-as-Usual


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Participants must be 18 years of age or older Participants must have a history of opioid use or addiction Participants have a history of parole violations or active parolees who are at risk for violation (this can include anyone who is reentering the active population from prison) Participants reside in or are moving to Ocean County; and Participants must have at least 6 months remaining on their Parole term Exclusion Criteria: -

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: SCF Parole<br>Parolee supervised under the SCF Supervision model | Behavioral: SCF Supervision<br>* SCF Supervision 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). SCF Supervision includes regular random drug testing.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Parole-As-Usual<br>Parolees are supervised under standard parole supervision practice in New Jersey. | Behavioral: Parole-as-Usual<br>* Parolees are supervised under standard parole supervision practice in New Jersey<br>* Other names: PAU;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revocation Rate | Percentage of subjects in each condition who are revoked from parole and returned to prison | 12 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Days Incarcerated | Total number of days incarcerated in jail or prison | 12 months | 
| New Charges | Number of new charges | 12 months | 
| Percent Positive Drug Tests | Percentage of random and scheduled drug tests that test positive for illicit drugs | 12 months |