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Narcotics Anonymous

Offenders with substance abuse problems make up a minimum of 75% of the U.S. inmate population. Despite this alarming figure, currently fewer than half of U.S. prisons offer targeted substance abuse programming. Those programs that are offered most commonly include self-help programs such as Narcotics Anonymous. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a nonprofit organization made up of recovering addicts who meet regularly to support one another in the recovery process. The NA program developed from the Alcoholics Anonymous framework in the late 1940s. The organization grew slowly through North America until the 1980s, when they published their Basic Text, which became highly influential. The NA program is centered on complete abstinence from all drugs, although anyone with the desire to stop using may participate.

Program Framework

Narcotics Anonymous is based on the premise that addicts are in the best position to help others through the process of substance abuse recovery. Peer support is considered key to reform; members can rely on others who have been through the same process to help them survive through cravings, deal with their emotions, and build a drugfree lifestyle. New members are encouraged to seek a more experienced person as a sponsor—an individual guide and counselor. Recovering addicts are guided through the recovery process by NA's 12 steps. Addicts must admit that they have a problem and seek help. The other parts of the healing process involve moving through self-examination, self-disclosure, making amends, and finally helping others with their addictions.

The 12 steps also require addicts to acknowledge God in their own terms, as a higher spiritual power key to the recovery process. NA has no religious affiliation; the emphasis is on bringing people to a spiritual awakening that is meaningful to them and on the adoption of a moral code of honesty and responsibility.

Program Delivery in the Correctional Setting

Narcotics Anonymous operates within the correctional setting through Hospitals and Institutions (H&I) meetings and presentations. Volunteers from the community, in cooperation with the facility, conduct these meetings and presentations. NA does not employ service delivery professionals; all volunteers are program members. H&I provides presentations introducing the principles of NA and sharing early recovery stories to inmates in short-term (less than one year) facilities. In longer-term facilities, regular meetings with increased participation and sharing are encouraged as the recovery process takes place within the institution.

NA meetings are usually open discussions facilitated by volunteers. Members share their stories of relapse and recovery and receive support from their peers. Meetings do vary and may include, for example, guest speakers, a book study, or a focus on a particular topic of concern, such as dealing with drugs within the prison environment. The frequency of meetings depends on the availability of volunteers and space within the facility, but usually ranges from one to two meetings per week.

Benefits and Concerns

Narcotics Anonymous programs are extremely low cost and require few facility resources to operate. Established NA groups can provide members with a subculture that is separate from the drugs, alcohol, and contraband within the institution. Unintentionally, however, they may also provide a concentrated source of potential clients for narcotics dealers.

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