Executive Summary

The Iowa Consortium for Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation conducted an initial recidivism study in 1994 and 1995, collecting data ranging from 30 to 450 days. Rates shown in the chart are well below those described in the recidivism literature. Correlations were found between positive changes in attitudes and risk perceptions at post-test and lower recidivism over the next 18 months. Comparative rates between first-time and multiple offenders did not diverge until the 450 day timeframe.

A 1998 follow-up of the same cohort revealed a recidivism rate at 21/2 years of 15.4% for first-time offenders and 19.3% for multiple offenders, still below rates described elsewhere (Wells-Parker et al., 1995).