Texas Institute of Behavioral Research
Texas Christian University
Principal Investigator:
Kevin Knight, Ph.D.
Associate Director for CJ Studies
Institute of Behavioral Research
Box 298740
Fort Worth, TX 76129
Office: 817-257-6472
k.knight@tcu.edu
Other Investigators
Dwayne Simpson, Ph.D.
Patrick Flynn, Ph.D.
Wayne Lehman, Ph.D.
Criminal Justice Co-PI:
Dona Howell, MS, CRADC/MISAII
Coordinator, Addiction Recovery Management Services
Illinois Department of Corrections
Marion Service Center
2309 West Main
Mario, IL 62959
Office: 618-993-6692
dona.howell@doc.illinois.gov
The Institute of Behavioral Research (IBR), founded in 1962 by Saul B. Sells, has been a part of federally-funded evaluation and research projects that have helped define methodological standards for addiction treatment process and follow-up outcome studies in natural field settings. Conceptual frameworks emerging from this research for evaluating treatment dynamics, outcomes, and change—both at the individual client and organizational functioning levels— have yielded assessment and intervention resources as well as implementation strategies now being used internationally.
In 2002, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) funded the “Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies” (CJ-DATS) cooperative agreement. The Institute of Behavioral Research at Texas Christian University (TCU) was one of nine National Research Centers selected to study current drug treatment practices and outcomes in correctional settings and to examine strategies for improving treatment services for drug-involved offenders. The primary mission of the project initially was to investigate key elements of corrections-based treatment systems in the U.S. and make recommendations for policies to enhance outcomes and improve the overall efficiency of treatment service delivery. A key objective of this landmark project was the establishment of science-based evidence for the role of corrections-based treatment in reducing drug use and crime-related costs to society.
Research funded in 2008 as part of Phase 2 of CJ-DATS is expected to extend previous research and create a foundation for improving the quality of treatment services for drug-involved offenders. In particular, it is intended to yield organizational- and systems-level studies on implementing and sustaining research-supported interventions across a continuum of care. This work includes Co-Investigators from the Illinois and Virginia Department of Corrections, and an additional network of 5 State criminal justice systems (AZ, IN, NE, NM, & TX), the Federal BOP, and 4 large agencies that provide CJ contract treatment services (Gateway Foundation, Westcare, CEC/CiviGenics, and Phoenix House).