Methodological review: Outcome studies of diversion and aftercare programs for adult drug-involved offenders
NDARC Technical Report No. 259 (2006)
NDARC Technical Report No. 259 (2006)
The primary purpose of this review was to identify and describe systematic outcome studies that have evaluated the efficacy of diversion and aftercare schemes for adult drug-involved offenders, in order to provide an objective context for considering the likely value of implementing and evaluating an aftercare component to existing diversion programs, such as the New South Wales’ Magistrates Early Referral Into Treatment (MERIT) scheme.
Major methodological issues in existing studies are:
Major outcome findings were:
Given the major findings of this review and the relative recency of diversion programs, there is clear scope for persisting with them, devising a best practice aftercare program and conducting a more methodologically rigorous evaluation trial than has been reported to date. Practical recommendations are provided for how this potential might be realised, within the context of the existing MERIT program in NSW.
Citation: Harvey, E., Shakeshaft, A., Hetherington, K., Sannibale, C. and Mattick, R. (2006) Methodological review: Outcome studies of diversion and aftercare programs for adult drug-involved offenders, Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.
Evelyn Harvey, Anthony Shakeshaft, Kate Hetherington, Claudia Sannibale & Richard Mattick