Effective Court Responses to Persons with Substance Use Disorder: Components of a Model Curriculum for Evidence-based Judicial Decision Making

2. Base Interventions on the Person’s Level of Criminogenic Risk and Level of SUD

Effective assessment allows supervision agencies to match the person with appropriate interventions.

High-risk persons require intensive supervision, cognitive behavioral therapy, strict monitoring, greater use of rewards and reinforcement in response to prosocial and compliant behaviors, use of swift and certain sanctions in responding to noncompliant and non-responsive behaviors, and substance use treatment services proportionate to the level of SUD. Persons with mild SUD who have the ability to comply should generally receive higher-magnitude sanctions for drug use than persons with moderate or severe SUD who often lack that ability. Those with moderate or severe SUD should receive treatment adjustments and low-level sanctions, such as verbal admonishment or curfew.
Low-risk persons require low level, if any, supervision and SUD treatment services proportionate to their level of SUD. Avoid over-supervision and revocations.