Evaluation of a drug abuse education course for law enforcement and treatment specialists.

This paper describes an evaluation of the effectiveness of a 13-week adult continuing education course offered to law enforcement and treatment specialists. Presented four times over a 2-year period, the course was designed to facilitate acquisition of scientific knowledge about drug (and alcohol) abuse and to effect more positive attitudes toward drug abuse clients and their treatability. Knowledge and attitude variables were assessed pre- and postcourse in student and control groups, and responses of law enforcement and treatment specialists were compared. Results showed a tendency for students and controls to increase their fund of scientific knowledge and to demonstrate minimal attitude change. Police officers and treatment specialists did not differ in attitudes toward drug abusers, who were described negatively by both groups. Personality variables such as dogmatism and sensation-seeking were significantly related to fund of information regarding drug abuse though in a differential manner.