This report contains an evaluation of a drug-abuse program used in prisons and by the Probation service. The evaluation focuses on tests taken before and after the program. The test is divided into six different sections, where each section measures change in the given problem areas.

Section one and two consist of knowledge-tests where the participants answers questions about  alcohol and drug use.

In section three a map is drawn of how the use of drugs and alcohol can influence the individual  and his and her surroundings. Section four deals with different alcohol related dilemmas.

In section five, attitudes and knowledge about recidivism are measured.

In the final section problem solving is discussed. The various sections are denoted as variables.  There are 88 participants from five different units in the Correctional Service: Hamar prison,  Ringerike prison, Ila Detention and Security Prison and the Probation service units in Akershus  and Østfold.

The combined results for all participants show a moderately positive utcome as regards the  differences between the prior and subsequent tests for all six variables although they are  inconsistent. We find the strongest result in the final section, problem solving. In this test, the participants score a 10 percent increase. The weakest results are found for the variables  influence in section three and alcohol and drug use in section one and two. Here the results show  a 3 – 3.5 percent increase.

Comparing the different units with each other, we find approximately the same tendencies as in the combined results. These patterns are the same when participants from prison are compared with participants from the probation service. The results, however, are slightly  influenced by the number of participants in the separate units – which lead to some deviation from the combined results.

The overall results suffer from some methodological weaknesses, both in test  conduction, the  procedure of registration, the test-design and the group size. These components influence (in different ways) the evaluation of the survey and its results.