What is substance abuse felony punishment?

Answer:

Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFP):

Substance abuse felony punishment (SAFP) facilities were established by the legislature to serve as intensive substance abuse treatment centers that help convicted felons overcome addictive behaviors. SAFPs are secure correctional facilities that use a therapeutic community approach to substance abuse treatment, which combines individual and group counseling, along with peer support and achievement goals. Transitional planning assists offenders to prepare for their release back into the community by identifying aftercare chemical dependency resources available to continue treatment and provide assistance with job and vocational placement and housing. Offenders with crime-related substance abuse problems can be sentenced by a judge to an intensive nine to twelve-month Therapeutic Community (T.C.) program as a condition or as a modification of parole/probation. The program consists of Phase I (orientation), learning basic language rules of the T.C.; Phase II (main treatment), exposing criminal thinking errors and drug seeking behaviors to intense confrontation while respect for individuals is maintained; and Phase III (re-entry), practicing relapse prevention and pro-social problem-solving techniques. Offenders may also participate in AA/NA/CA/Winners Circle or other peer support groups such as Secular Organization For Sobriety (SOS). Upon completion, offenders are placed in community residential facilities for three months, followed by outpatient treatment for twelve months. The SAFP encourages offenders to reject previous negative behavior and attitudes and to develop realistic value systems.

•  Assigned on first come, first served basis

• Must be sentenced by a judge

• Bed space is limited

• Utilized as a condition of probation or modification of parole/probation

• Provides an intensive 9 to 12 month therapeutic program

• Three phases (orientation, treatment, re-entry)

• Transition at a halfway house

• Outpatient treatment for 12 months

SAFP is a pretty good program for people who have a drug problem and want help. I have been working with the "Drug Court" program. By using the tools they learn in SAFP, participating in an effective aftercare program, regular AA and a little encouragement from the court we have turned around several lives. We don't turn them all around, but we have graduated far more than we have revoked. If your client does not have a substance abuse problem, denies he has a problem or does not want help, SAFP will probably be a waste of his time.