Alcohol and the Criminal Offender

One of the most common issues that clients face is substance abuse problems, particularly alcohol use. While there are many terms that describe different patterns of problem drinking, each is characterized by an unhealthy, habitual use of alcohol. As a legal, widely available depressant, alcohol is the “drug of choice” of many offenders. Because of the psychosomatic effects of alcohol, there are inherent neurological “rewards” for use, especially after prolonged use due to tolerance and withdrawal. While the causes of problem drinking vary from environmental to biological factors, there is no doubt that these issues are critical to address in correctional settings. The most widely available programs are 12-step self-help programs including the faith-based Alcoholics Anonymous and the secular Rational Recovery. These programs have demonstrated some degree of effectiveness, but they may be limited for the most severely addicted clients. Certain medication interventions, in conjunction with other therapeutic approaches may be useful for those clients with more severe patterns and histories of alcohol use.