Funding will support evidence-based research aligned with First Step Act goals.
FORT WORTH, Texas (January 7, 2025) — Texas Christian University’s (TCU) Institute of Behavioral Research (IBR) has been awarded an additional $2.2 million from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to evaluate substance use treatment programs in federal prisons. This funding is a critical step in enhancing the effectiveness of these programs, which play a pivotal role in helping incarcerated individuals overcome substance use challenges and successfully reintegrate into society. An additional $2.2 million installment is anticipated in 2025, bringing the total funding for this project to approximately $11 million, building on over $6.5 million in previous support from the BOP.
“Substance use among incarcerated individuals remains one of our nation’s most pressing challenges,” said IBR director Kevin Knight. “Our evaluation work helps ensure that federal prison treatment programs effectively serve this vulnerable population and support their successful return to society.”
This research supports requirements of the First Step Act, a landmark bipartisan legislation passed in 2018 aimed at reforming federal prisons and reduce overcrowding. Under the Act, inmates can earn early release credits by participating in evidence-based programs, including substance use treatment, making the effectiveness of these programs a matter of national importance.
Key Highlights:
Scope of Evaluation: IBR’s comprehensive research examines BOP’s anger management program and four types of substance use treatment programs: drug education, non-residential treatment, residential treatment, and medication-assisted treatment.
Past Research: IBR has already analyzed records of anger management program participants across all federal facilities from 2014-2018 and conducted in-depth interviews with 263 participants and 80 program facilitators at 10 facilities nationwide. Analyses of program participant records in the four types of substance use treatment programs are currently being completed.
New Funding Impact: The additional funding will enable IBR to assess how these programs influence participants’ knowledge, behavior, and decision-making skills, ensuring evidence-based standards required by Congress are met.
“This continued partnership between TCU and the Federal Bureau of Prisons demonstrates a shared commitment to addressing substance use through proven, effective interventions,” said Knight. “The insights from this research will help shape the future of correctional treatment programs within the federal system.”
About the TCU Institute of Behavioral Research
Founded in 1962, the Institute of Behavioral Research (IBR) is a national research institute dedicated to promoting public health and safety through high-quality research that informs policy and practice, particularly in the areas of substance use and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. IBR’s current focus is on conducting studies in real-world settings, using advanced multivariate methodologies. Research efforts are concentrated on addressing critical public concerns, with a particular emphasis on addiction treatment for justice-involved populations, both adult and youth. Other key areas of interest include preventing the spread of HIV and related infections among drug users, as well as the implementation of evidence-based practices, organizational functioning, and process research. Visit the IBR website for more information.
