The Effects of the Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility on Drug Related Recidivism: A Decision Tree Analysis

Substance use is a major concern among individuals incarcerated in the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, treatment is not always readily available, and the effectiveness of treatment is either unknown or outdated. The current study will evaluate the effectiveness of the Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFPF) at reducing drug-related crimes as opposed to the typically used outcome of recidivism. This study will disaggregate crime, substance use, and treatment variables from a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to determine pathways that lead to a reduction in drug-related crime utilizing a decision tree analysis.