SAMHSA released the latest Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) report, finding that the criminal justice system was the single largest source of referrals to substance abuse treatment, accounting for 37 percent of admissions.  The report found that criminal justice system referral admissions were less likely than all other referral admissions to drop out of treatment (22 vs.27 percent).  In addition, the most rapid area of growth within criminal justice system referrals has been among those younger than 18 years of age, increasing from 38 percent of adolescent admissions in 1992 to 47 percent in 2007.

From the report:

In 2007, the criminal justice system was the largest single source of referrals to the substance abuse treatment system, comprising 37 percent of all admissions in the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) (approximately 670,500 of the 1.8 million admissions). Moreover, the majority of these referrals were from parole and probation offices (44 percent of criminal justice admissions where detailed criminal justice source information is known). Understanding the impact of these admissions on the treatment system is critical for program planners and policy makers at all levels of government. Using TEDS, this report examines substance abuse treatment admissions referred by the criminal justice system and compares their characteristics with admissions referred by other sources.