Program Profile: Modified Therapeutic Community for Individuals With Mental Illness and Chemical Abuse (MICA) Disorders Who Commit Offenses

This program is an adaptation of the therapeutic community models used with individuals who have co-occurring drug abuse problems and mental health disorders.

Profile Updated:

Summary: This program is an adaptation of the therapeutic community models for individuals in prison with co-occurring drug and/or alcohol use problems and mental health disorders to reduce substance use, mental illness, and recidivism. The program is rated Promising for reducing criminal activity, reincarceration, drug and alcohol offenses, illegal drug use, alcohol use, and multiple substance use (either legal or illegal). (Review the full program description).

Title Rating Details Outcome Category Study(ies)
Criminal activity
 Promising | 
  More than One Study

Promising | More than One Study

Men in the treatment groups had greater reductions in rates of criminal activity after release from prison compared with men in the control groups. This difference was statistically significant. 

Crime and Delinquency; Multiple crime/offense types/recidivism

Sacks, Stanley, JoAnn Y. Sacks, Karen McKendrick, Steven Banks, and Joseph Stommel. 2004. “Modified TC for MICA Offenders: Crime Outcomes.” Behavioral Sciences and the Law 22:477–501.

See evaluation methods.

Sacks, Stanley, Michael Chaple, JoAnn Y. Sacks, Karen McKendrick, and Charles M. Cleland. 2012. “Randomized Trial of a Reentry Modified Therapeutic Community for Offenders with Co-Occurring Disorders: Crime Outcomes.” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 42:247–259.

See evaluation methods.

Reincarceration
 Promising | 
  More than One Study

Promising | More than One Study

Men in the treatment groups had lower reincarceration rates after release from prison compared with men in the control groups. This difference was statistically significant. 
 

Crime and Delinquency; Multiple crime/offense types/recidivism; Incarceration/reincarceration

Sacks, Stanley, JoAnn Y. Sacks, Karen McKendrick, Steven Banks, and Joseph Stommel. 2004. “Modified TC for MICA Offenders: Crime Outcomes.” Behavioral Sciences and the Law 22:477–501.

See evaluation methods.

Sacks, Stanley, Michael Chaple, JoAnn Y. Sacks, Karen McKendrick, and Charles M. Cleland. 2012. “Randomized Trial of a Reentry Modified Therapeutic Community for Offenders with Co-Occurring Disorders: Crime Outcomes.” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 42:247–259.

See evaluation methods.

Van Stelle, Kit R., and D. Paul Moberg. 2004. “Outcome Data for MICA Clients After Participation in an Institutional Therapeutic Community.” Journal of Offender Rehabilitation 39(1):37–62.

See evaluation methods.

Drug and alcohol offenses
 Promising | 
  More than One Study

Promising | More than One Study

Men in the treatment group had fewer drug and alcohol offenses after release from prison compared with men in the control group. This difference was statistically significant.

Crime and Delinquency; Drug and alcohol offenses

Sacks, Stanley, JoAnn Y. Sacks, Karen McKendrick, Steven Banks, and Joseph Stommel. 2004. “Modified TC for MICA Offenders: Crime Outcomes.” Behavioral Sciences and the Law 22:477–501.

See evaluation methods.

Sacks, Stanley, Michael Chaple, JoAnn Y. Sacks, Karen McKendrick, and Charles M. Cleland. 2012. “Randomized Trial of a Reentry Modified Therapeutic Community for Offenders with Co-Occurring Disorders: Crime Outcomes.” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 42:247–259.

See evaluation methods.

Illegal drug use
 Promising

Promising

Men in the treatment group had greater decreases in use of illegal drugs after release from prison compared with men in the control group. This difference was statistically significant. 

Drugs and Substance Abuse; Use of multiple substances (e.g., alcohol, illegal substances)

Sullivan, Christopher J., Karen McKendrick, Stanley Sacks, and Steven Banks. 2007. “Modified Therapeutic Community Treatment for Offenders with MICA Disorders: Substance Use Outcomes.” The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 33:823–32.

See evaluation methods.

Alcohol use
 Promising | 
  One Study

Promising | One Study

Men in the treatment group had greater reductions in the use of alcohol to the point of intoxication after release from prison compared with men in the control group. This difference was statistically significant.

Drugs and Substance Abuse; Use of legal substances; Alcohol use

Sullivan, Christopher J., Karen McKendrick, Stanley Sacks, and Steven Banks. 2007. “Modified Therapeutic Community Treatment for Offenders with MICA Disorders: Substance Use Outcomes.” The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 33:823–32.

See evaluation methods.

Use of multiple substances
 Promising | 
  More than One Study

Promising | More than One Study

Men in the treatment groups had greater reductions in the use of multiple substances (either illegal or legal) after release from prison compared with men in the control groups. This difference was statistically significant.

Drugs and substance abuse; Use of multiple substances

Sullivan, Christopher J., Karen McKendrick, Stanley Sacks, and Steven Banks. 2007. “Modified Therapeutic Community Treatment for Offenders with MICA Disorders: Substance Use Outcomes.” The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 33:823–32.

See evaluation methods.

Van Stelle, Kit R., and D. Paul Moberg. 2004. “Outcome Data for MICA Clients After Participation in an Institutional Therapeutic Community.” Journal of Offender Rehabilitation 39(1):37–62.

See evaluation methods.

Date Modified: September 4, 2025

This program was originally rated Promising. It has been re-reviewed based on the change in the program rating instrument. Under the new instrument, CrimeSolutions ow now rates individual program outcomes and no longer assigns an overall rating. 

Date Created: July 17, 2024

Program Status

This program is Active.