Assessing drug abuse programs: benefits from partnering with researchers

Authors' Note: Points of view press outed in this article do not show the official position or policies of the U Department of Justice.

More and more, policy-makers are persuaded through data-driven results. Questions about a program's performance are a routine part of parcel hearings at all levels of management and funding decisions are routinely conditioned upon evaluations and outcome data. When public officials are armed with findings based upon scientifically sound, empirically valid information, they are better able to demonstrate accountability to legislators and their constituents.

Most departments of correction lack the circulating medium and staff to ...